Sisters in arms

While Vasundhara is troubled by the move to remove her from the post of Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan,Yashodhara is disillusioned by the BJP unit in MP....

Their mother,late Vijayaraje Scindia,was one of the founding members of the BJP. Today,however,both Vasundhara Raje and Yashodhara Raje face difficult times in the party.

With BJP president Rajnath Singh on Sunday declaring that the Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan,former CM Vasundhara Raje,would have to go after the party core group took a decision to this effect,her supporting MLAs in Jaipur on Monday sounded defiant. They argued that Vasundhara would remain BJP Legislative Party leader till the next Assembly elections.

If the mood in Rajasthan was one of defiance,in Madhya Pradesh,it was one of resignation with Vasundharas younger sister Yashodhara Raje who represents Gwalior in the Lok Sabha said to be completely disillusioned with the state leadership and according to some local reports,was said to be contemplating renunciation.

First elected to the Rajasthan Assembly in 1985,the BJP again projected Vasundhara as its chief ministerial candidate in the last Assembly polls something that neatly fell into its scheme of having strong regional satraps,who would hold the central leadership together by way of a federal arrangement. In her poll speeches,Vasundhara,taking a cue from Narendra Modi,stressed on Rajasthans pride and development.

Her highly independent way of functioning,however,didnt go down well with the local RSS and myriad factions in a deeply divided BJP in the state, who considered her more as a lone ranger (even if she commanded the majority support among party MLAs). With two successive defeats first in state Assembly polls and then recent Lok Sabha elections the partys core group decided upon a change in leadership in the BJP Legislature Party in the state,offering her a key role in the organisation at the centre,something that was seen as a slight.

On the other hand,while her reported talk of renunciation may be exaggerated,Yashodhara was reported to be extremely unhappy with the MP BJP,especially its president Narendra Singh Tomar,for creating obstacles for her ever since a Congress candidate won in her stronghold,Shivpuri,in the last Assembly polls. While Yashodhara found Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to be supportive,the growing interference of Tomar and a couple of others in Gwalior didnt go down well with her. Tomar,however,said that she should talk to the central leadership if she felt he was creating obstacles for her.

The two sisters are known to share a special bond. Not surprisingly,they were in touch through this entire period. Both invoked their mother when faced with hostility from within the organisation. Who helped the party to get so far? It was our mother who gave everything to nurture the party and carry it forward. When we,the two sisters,used to have vacations from our boarding school in Kodaikanal,we didnt spend time with our mother in solitude. Instead,we accompanied her on political programmes. We were like loyal lambs who devoted our lives for the party,and this is what is being given in return, Yashodhara said.

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When faced with threats of disciplinary action for some of her reported utterances on the partys central leadership,Vasundhara,too,invoked her late mother. My mothers entire life was in service of the party. How can I ever think of breaking away or floating any other political party, she said in a statement that was cited by Rajnath Singh in his press conference,saying that it was a positive message.