AN OPPOSITION IN DISARRAY

On January 2, the Rajasthan BJP unit held one of its continuing Jan Aakrosh rallies in Jodhpur against the “misgovernance” of the Ashok Gehlotled Congress government, but much like the response in many other parts of the state, the turnout was poor.

- Rohit Parihar

This despite the presence of Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Gen. (retd) V.K. Singh. Matters, it seems, had not improved since December 1 when BJP national president J.P. Nadda was confronted with a similar situation at the launch of the Jan Aakrosh Yatra.

The state BJP’s woes have continued with the bypoll loss in Sardarshahar assembly seat in Churu, with the party losing by nearly 27,000 votes. With this, the BJP has lost six of the last seven bypolls held in the state (including two seats it held). It sent a clear message— Gehlot’s Congress may be facing all-around derision in the state and beyond for its endless factionalism, but the BJP is even more in disarray ahead of the assembly election due in December 2023.

The BJP brass is possibly aware of the ground reality, hence the two-week, statewide Jan Aakrosh Yatra with local BJP leaders travelling in 52 vehicles to interact with the masses.