With rebels failing miserably in the Gujarat election, the Rajasthan BJP and the party high command have wasted no time to send a message across to dissidents who have been staging a political drama for the past two years against the Vasundhara Raje Government.

The rebels have been refusing to work with Raje, have not been attending cabinet meetings, visiting Delhi to meet the party high command and have been even threatening to put in their papers for sometime now.

With the state gearing up for Assembly elections in December 2008, this opposition was expected to be intensified. But not anymore, as it was clear when most of the dissidents refused to to comment on the fall of the rebels in Gujarat and their own future course of action.

“The message is clear. After Gujarat polls, one has to understand that rebelling against the party or its leadership will not serve any purpose. Rather, it is time to unite and work together or the party will have no choice but to take action against the rebels. It worked in Gujarat, it will work here too,” stated a senior office-bearer.

Raje, on her part, has decided to launch preparations for the Assembly elections with a reshuffle in her cabinet. This will be her way of sending a warning to the rebels within the cabinet.

Tackling the issue of the rebels also appeared to be the reason behind the unexpected visit of senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde on Sunday evening, right after the results were declared in Gujarat. Munde held a meeting with state BJP president Dr Mahesh Sharma and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and discussed the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle, which has been long due. It’s clear that the party will not even think twice before sidelining or dismissing rebels now that Gujarat verdict has proved that dissidents can hardly damage the party’s prospects in the elections.

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