THE BJP DILEMMA

On September 29, Kirodi Lal Meena-the 72-yearold Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran in Rajasthan-attended a cabinet meeting. Why was that an event?

-  Rohit Parihar

Because it was his first since June 4-the day he put in his papers in a fit of pique, and entered a curious state of limbo with the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led government refusing to accept his resignation. So, when the Sawai Madhopur MLA turned up at the meeting, it sparked speculation that he might withdraw his resignation. But at a press conference the very next day, Meena doubled down on his decision, reiterating his request for Sharma to let him go, a plea that went unanswered.

A seasoned politician with six terms in the Rajasthan assembly and multiple stints in Parliament, Meena's career has been defined by his readiness to take up issues related to corruption and administrative malpractice. His vocal criticism, in fact, played a crucial role in exposing various irregularities in the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress regime.