BJP chief contradicts Sushma’s claim, says all seats of Rajasthan discussed in CEC
Indicating prevalence of divergent views in the BJP on “denial” of ticket to senior party leader Jaswant Singh, party president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the Central Election Committee (CEC) did discuss the issue and decision arrived at due to certain “political compulsions”.
Contradicting his party colleague Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath suggested that Jaswant was denied ticket from Barmer after the party’s CEC discussed the issue. He said, “Rajasthan issue was discussed in the CEC... All seats of Rajasthan were discussed in the CEC.”
Swaraj had maintained that Barmer seat was not decided in the CEC. “There must be some reason because as that ticket was not decided by the Central Election Committee,” Swaraj had said immediately after Jaswant was denied ticket on Saturday last. Jaswant is now contesting as Independent from Barmer lok Sabha seat against the official party nominee.
In Times Now interview, Rajnath said Jaswant could not be nominated despite “everyone” wanting and all senior party leaders, including himself, were also “pained” by this decision.
He said, “Extraordinary decisions are taken in extraordinary situations,” but refused to go into details for not allotting Barmer seat to Jaswant.
The BJP president acknowledged that Jaswant had told him about his desire to contest from Barmer and that he had told him that he will discuss the issue with the Rajasthan unit of BJP.
“I talked to everyone. Everyone respects him. But there were certain political compulsions because of which the ticket could not be given to him,” Rajnath Singh said.
The BJP president said that though Jaswant could not be nominated from the seat, the party had at the same time decided that his efficiency, talent, seniority will be utilised to the full.
Asked about BJP president expressing “pain” at Jaswant not been able to get ticket, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said at Press conference that it was “a dignified act” of the party president but it should not be taken “as admission of a mistake”.
Jaitley said the debate was not only about one seat but several others and that party leaders should be giving importance to loyalty and party’s honour.
Senior BJP leader said Jaswant’s son Manvendra Singh, an MlA in Rajasthan Assembly, would attract no disciplinary action. “There is no case for action”, Jaitley said, adding Manvendra had spoken to him.
Meanwhile, Rajanthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who is understood to have backed the candidature of local Jat leader Sona Ram for Barmer, on Monday asked the party workers to remain united and together for the victory of BJP candidate in Barmer.
There could be differences in opinion, but not rift in minds, she was reported saying while addressing a mass rally here in support of Sona Ram.