As the Bharatiya Janata Party celebrates its 38th Foundation day on Friday, a rebel party MLA in Rajasthan, Ghanshyam Tiwari, wrote a letter to party chief Amit Shah making several accusations against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and demanding she be sacked in “public interest”.
In a strongly-worded letter to Shah, who addressed a rally in Maharashtra on the occasion of the party’s Foundation Day, the Sanganer MLA alleged Raje was “misusing” her political power for “personal gains” and that the state government is a group of those who “extort” money.
“The Rajasthan government is a government of dictator and is a group of those who extort money. Corruption has been institutionalised under her government and social harmony has been disturbed,” Tiwari charged.
He alleged there was “resentment among all castes and communities” against the chief minister which evident when black flags were shown during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting at Jhunjhunu in March.
“The chief minister is not interested in the organisation and government reforms,” Tiwari said.
He claimed party workers were opposed to the leadership in Jaipur, Bikaner, Barmer, Kota, Udaipur, Alwar, Ajmer, Sikar and other districts “which shows the level of resentment” against the chief minister.
Tiwari alleged the Raje government was “looting the state” and also questioned the party chief for not taking action against the chief minister despite “being aware of the situation”.
This is not the first time the MLA has attacked the chief minister. Earlier, he had criticised Raje over several issues, including farmers’ plight, and was also served a party notice.
“On the occasion of the party foundation day, I have expressed my feeling and wrote the letter to the party president telling him what is going on in the state. I was (earlier) served a notice for indiscipline, but I gave very factual reply clarifying that it is the chief minister who is not disciplined. But no action against her has been taken so far,” he told reporters.
Tiwari had earlier announced that he would launch a political party of his own.
The process to form Bharat Vahini, his political outfit, will be completed in a month and the party will then take up political tasks and contest upcoming assembly elections in all the 200 constituencies, he said today.
Tiwari, however, also said he can contest next assembly elections on a BJP ticket only if Raje is not at the helm of affairs in the state.
“I demand from the party to sack the chief minister. She should no longer be in the state politics and this is the only condition on which I will consider contesting election on a BJP ticket” he said. “I cannot contest election under Vasundhara Raje’s leadership.”
