JAIPUR: Former CM Vasundhara Raje concluded her day-long “Dev Darshan Yatra” by visiting three temples in the state on Friday, giving rise to speculation among BJP leaders as to the meaning and purpose of the exercise.
Raje undertook her yatra just a day before BJP’s scheduled four-phase statewide ‘Jan Parivartan Yatra,’ which is to be launched by the party’s national president JP Nadda from a temple in Sawai Madhopur district on Saturday. Raje visited Shri Charbhuja Nath temple, Nathdwara temple (both in Rajsamand) and Tripura Sundari temple in Banswara district on Friday.
While a section of BJP leaders said Raje’s yatra was a symbolic expression of her resentment with the party’s leaders for not including her in the election management and manifesto committee, people close to her rubbished these claims. They pointed out that Raje kept her tour a low-key affair and did not make any public address throughout the day.
“She (Raje) was accompanied by one sitting MLA, Rajasamand Deepti Maheshwari, and half a dozen former MLAs. Raje’s political or religious programmes are known for gathering huge crowds and a battery of sitting MLAs, MPs and former elected representatives. Both the phenomena were missing this time,” said a BJP leader.
Raje’s yatra is also seen as an attempt to reaffirm to her supporters that she is very much in the leading position in BJP. During her tour on Friday, large crowds gathered at the temples and raised slogans in her favour.
Speaking on the purpose of her yatra, Raje said, “I take blessings from Shrinathji, Charbhuja Nathji, and Tripura Sundari before doing any work. I only go to temples when I believe that my work will be accomplished. Not only have the pundits given me their blessings, but the workers standing here have also showered their love. I am confident there is nothing that can come in your or our way.”
In the run-up to the assembly elections in 2013 and 2018, Raje had started a similar yatra.
Raje undertook her yatra just a day before BJP’s scheduled four-phase statewide ‘Jan Parivartan Yatra,’ which is to be launched by the party’s national president JP Nadda from a temple in Sawai Madhopur district on Saturday. Raje visited Shri Charbhuja Nath temple, Nathdwara temple (both in Rajsamand) and Tripura Sundari temple in Banswara district on Friday.
While a section of BJP leaders said Raje’s yatra was a symbolic expression of her resentment with the party’s leaders for not including her in the election management and manifesto committee, people close to her rubbished these claims. They pointed out that Raje kept her tour a low-key affair and did not make any public address throughout the day.
“She (Raje) was accompanied by one sitting MLA, Rajasamand Deepti Maheshwari, and half a dozen former MLAs. Raje’s political or religious programmes are known for gathering huge crowds and a battery of sitting MLAs, MPs and former elected representatives. Both the phenomena were missing this time,” said a BJP leader.
Raje’s yatra is also seen as an attempt to reaffirm to her supporters that she is very much in the leading position in BJP. During her tour on Friday, large crowds gathered at the temples and raised slogans in her favour.
Speaking on the purpose of her yatra, Raje said, “I take blessings from Shrinathji, Charbhuja Nathji, and Tripura Sundari before doing any work. I only go to temples when I believe that my work will be accomplished. Not only have the pundits given me their blessings, but the workers standing here have also showered their love. I am confident there is nothing that can come in your or our way.”
In the run-up to the assembly elections in 2013 and 2018, Raje had started a similar yatra.
