‘Rumours’ of a change of guard in Rajasthan put to rest

Jaipur: BJP’s national vice president and Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna put the breaks on ‘rumours’ regarding replacement of chief minister Vasundhara Raje. Khanna told media persons after the party’s core committee meeting in Jaipur on Saturday that Raje would continue to be the chief minister and the next assembly elections would be fought under her leadership.

Khanna said that there were no plans to remove Raje. “These rumours have been generated by the media and there is no truth in them. We have a very favourable public opinion at the moment. Our spectacular victory in UP assembly elections proves this. We will fight the next assembly election in Rajasthan under her leadership and win with a thumping majority,” Khanna told media persons.

The talks of a change of guard had been fueled by the alleged show of strength by party’s national vice president and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Om Mathur. When he returned to Jaipur after the UP win two days ago, his supporters shouted slogans like ‘humara CM kaisa ho, Om Mathur Jaisa (who should be our CM, it should be Om Mathur)’.

When the cavalcade of BJP’s national vice president and UP state in-charge Om Mathur reached Jaipur from Delhi on Friday, the enthusiasm of his supporters was quite spectacular.