Vasundhara missing from BJP star campaigners list

Jaipur, March 30 Bringing out fissures in the open, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's name is missing from the list of the BJP's star campaigners for the three Assembly constituencies where bypolls are scheduled.

The three seats namely Rajsamand, Sahada and Suhangarh are going to polls on April 17.

The BJP plans to contest the bypolls on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name, garnering votes on his schemes being implemented, confirmed party sources.

While the star campaigners include three Union ministers, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Arjun Ram Meghawal and Kailash Chaudhary, and other leaders like state chief Satish Poonia, Leader of Opposition Gulab Kataria, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, Raje, however, is missing.

Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh will be one amongst the key note campaigners, confirmed BJP sources.

Senior leaders confirmed to that Raje's role has been limited in the three bypolls for she has a larger role to play in the national politics being the party's national vice president.

However, other BJP sources said that Raje in fact is actively participating in bypolls by influencing her followers to contest as independents against the BJP candidates. Also, she has plans to field her followers from 'Janata Sena', a local political outfit founded by Randhir Singh Bhinder, who is considered a staunch Raje supporter.

A BJP source said: "As a state organisation, we have convinced more than 50 per cent of followers to terminate their plans to contest as independents and have been successful so far. It's just two or three candidates who are acting tough and shall be convinced.

"Without seeking any help from Raje's supporters we are confident of winning all three seats. We have finished our door to door survey in each of these places. Our ground survey confirms our victory and hence we stand confident of winning these elections."

On Tuesday, BJP candidates were filing nomination papers for the Rajsamand seat, but Raje was nowhere to be seen.

( With inputs from IANS )