As Rajasthan assembly elections draw close, Congress, BJP battle factionalism

With less than a year to go for the Rajasthan assembly election, the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are beset by factionalism.

While Congress' troubles—chief minister Ashok Gehlot vs younger leader Sachin Pilot—have hogged the headlines, the BJP, which prides itself in being a disciplined party, has its share of headaches in the form of the rivalry between former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and state party president Satish Poonia.

According to sources, Raje has been holding parallel political events at a time when the state leadership is busy with its "Jan Aakrosh Yatra" to cover 200 assembly segments. Raje along with her loyalists will be holding a Sankalp Sammelan in Rajkot on December 25. In October, her unannounced visit to Bikaner caused ripples in the party, as it turned into a show of strength by her loyalists.

Raje vs Poonia

However, her detractor Poonia, who completed three years as state president in September, enjoys the confidence of the party leadership. BJP sources say he has been able to mobilise the cadres and implement the page committee initiative successfully in the state.

The page committees have the responsibility to ensure that people listed on the electoral rolls cast their votes on voting day. The concept is the brainchild of Union home minister Amit Shah and was first used in the 2007 Gujarat assembly polls. It has since been successfully replicated in the general elections in 2014 and 2019 and again in the recent Gujarat election.

In view of widening rifts, BJP’s national president Jagat Prakash Nadda has directed the state unit to work as one and end factionalism to ensure victory in Rajasthan.

Both Poonia and Raje are eyeing the chief ministerial position.  Poonia said, “The elections in the state will be contested under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It’s the prerogative of the party’s parliamentary board to pick up the chief minister. As a state president, it’s my responsibility to strengthen the party.”

The election to the 200-member house is scheduled to be held before December 2023. Raje was not immediately available for comment.

The ruling party rift

In the other camp, meanwhile, the tussle between two factions led by Gehlot and his former deputy Pilot too has remained unresolved despite intervention by the central leadership.

Both the leaders were seen walking together in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, but MLAs supporting them want the party high command to take a final call on the chief ministerial candidate.

A senior Congressman told Moneycontrol on condition of anonymity that the party’s possibility of retaining power is very low if Pilot is not given the chance to lead the state.

“Under Gehlot’s leadership, the party has not been able to repeat the government. In 2013, Congress had only 21 MLAs. Sachin Pilot worked on the ground as state president, strengthened the cadre, following which the party won 100 seats in 2018,” the leader said.

The person added that Pilot has the support of youngsters from across the state among all castes and sections.

Experts say that if the Congress doesn’t clear the air on its chief ministerial candidate, the BJP will cash in on the opportunity.

Political analyst Rasheed Kidwai said that the BJP does have factionalism but on the ground people are in support of Modi.

“The factionalism in the BJP isn’t problematic because Modi has the ability to bring all leaders on one stage and put up a united front,” said Kidwai.

Even Raje, who has her own lobby, has said she will adhere to the leadership's directions, he added.

“In the Congress, you have no clarity. After the recent turbulence in Rajasthan in September, the party has not been able to take a call. It seems Gehlot is more powerful than the high command,” said Kidwai.

The party has to realise it will be competing against Modi and feuds within the party have to be resolved, he said, adding, “if leaders are divided, people don’t take time to make up their mind.”

Niranjan Sahoo, senior fellow with the Observer Research Foundation’s Governance and Politics Initiative, said, “The Congress is not losing the ground in Rajasthan, it’s putting an effort to do the best.”

If Gehlot continues to attack Pilot, it will certainly push him back. An understanding between the two leaders is required to retain Rajasthan.