Raje not to quit for now: aide

On Monday Raje’s closest supporters met at her residence to discuss the issue,but remained tight-lipped whether any decision was taken in the matter. BJP MLA Gyan Deo Ahuja on Monday stuck to the line that party president Rajnath Singh had set no deadline for Raje’s resignation.

“The co-operative elections will be held on August 19 and a special Assembly session later this month. A meeting of BJP MLAs is also slated in the coming fortnight,where such issues will be deliberated,” Ahuja said outside Raje’s residence in Jaipur. He added that Raje and her supporters would continue to abide by the BJP parliamentary board’s directions.

MLAs supporting Raje maintained that she was their leader as she was elected unanimously in December last year.

A senior BJP MLA said,“We are with her as we all elected her unanimously,nobody can just remove her as we are all part of the same political system,which we believe is democratic.” He said that it suited the party to continue with the former CM till the co-operative polls were over.

Meanwhile,state BJP president Arun Chaturvedi said that Raje will abide by the high command’s decision in due time.

“She will abide by the party decision,possible solutions to end the present situation are presently being discussed and a final decision will be made soon,” Chaturvedi said.

Chaturvedi,however,added that he had received no decisions or directions on the selection of a new leader of the opposition.