Comeback on cards? Why Vasundhara Raje's meetings with BJP-RSS top brass have triggered speculation

BJP's Vasundhara Raje with Bhajan Lal Sharma at the BJP legislature party meeting in 2023. (File: PTI)

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vasundhara Raje could be planning to make a comeback after being pushed into political exile following the party leadership's decision to appoint Bhajan Lal Sharma as the Chief Minister in 2023.

Raje has met some top leaders of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh recently, triggering speculation that she may have decided to step out of exile. While a return as Chief Minister appears unlikely, considering that Sharma is known to enjoy the confidence of the BJP top brass at the moment.

Raje's renewed activity also comes amid a buzz over an impending Cabinet reshuffle and there are murmurs that the ex-CM's meetings with the BJP's central leadership are with regard to accommodating her loyalists in the state cabinet.

"With voices of dissent from MLAs rising as the Sharma government's image has taken a beating, the party is trying to accommodate Raje loyalists like Malviya Nagar MLA Kalicharan Saraf and Nimbahera legislator Shrichand Kriplani in the Cabinet. Her meetings with the BJP's central leadership are in this regard," The Indian Express quoted a source as saying.

However, the cabinet reshuffle isn't the only reason why Raje's hectic parleys have come in the spotlight. While insiders dismiss the idea of a major shake-up in the council of ministers in Sharma's cabinet, there is also speculation of the BJP brass considering a national role for Raje.

"Sharma is Modi and Shah’s choice and he will continue. He follows Delhi’s directions without question. However, Raje may be considered for a national role," the source said, according to the paper.

During the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded recently, Raje called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. The meetings particularly assume significance in view of reports of frosty ties between Raje and the BJP's central leadership that go back even before she was overlooked for the post of Chief Minister.

Notably, Raje also met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the latter's visit to Jodhpur earlier this month for the All India Coordination meeting of the Sangh. The former CM is also believed to have called on top RSS leaders in Nagpur after her meeting with Bhagwat.

Raje has made her displeasure over being sidelined during the selection process for the CM's post known on numerous occasions. A miffed Raje skipped party meetings and did not campaign for the seven Assembly bypolls in the state or last year's Haryana Assembly polls, despite being named a star campaigner by the party.

In what many saw as her first intent of a comeback, Raje met all party MLAs after the BJP bagged five of the seven seats where by-elections were held.

Again last month, she dropped a major hint when she said that any exile does not last a lifetime. "Vanvaas sirf Shri Ram ki zindagi ka hissa nahin hai… Har insaan ke jeevan mein vanvaas aata hai aur jata bhi hai (Exile was not part of only Lord Ram’s life. Everyone goes through it, but it also ends)… Nothing in the world is permanent. Whatever comes will also go," she said addressing a rally in Dholpur.

The message was viewed as both a reassurance to her supporters as well as a signal of expecting the unexpected in politics.

Raje's recent activities also gave rise to speculation that she was being considered as among the potential successors to Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President of India. However, the BJP leadership eventually went with CP Radhakrishnan.

With the announcement of BJP president yet to be finalized, Raje's supporters are speculating whether she too would emerge as a contender to succeed incumbent party chief JP Nadda. However, The Indian Express reports cite sources as saying that the meetings would more likely to be to lobby for a ministerial berth at the Centre for her son and Jhalawar-Baran MP Dushyant Singh.