If anti-incumbency was not enough a threat to the incumbent BJP in Rajasthan, the party is also struggling with the emerging rebels which are affecting its chances to win in the state badly. The upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan will be a real test for BJP’s senior leadership in the center and state, which has been under criticism with allegations of keeping the senior leaders at bay.
Some of the leaders like Ghanshyam Tiwari and Manvendra Singh have already left the party and there might be some more revolt after ticket distribution. Manvendra Singh who has joined hands with the Congress and has a strong hold on Rajput dominated areas which can sway the BJP’s vote base towards the Congress. Six-time MLA and former minister Ghanshyam Tiwari from BJP has even gone onto form another party called Bharat Vahini Party. They are a potent threat to the BJP in the state when the BJP CM is already battling corruption and arrogance charges.
The BJP had earlier faced a revolt of senior leaders in 2003, 2008 and 2013 elections and it probably got defeated in 2008 due to revolt only. In 2013 Assembly elections also, even though the party won with thumping majority, it still lost Lunkaransar, Vallabhnagar and Mandava seats due to revolt from the party leaders.
A senior BJP leader Devi Singh Bhati had parted ways from the BJP when Vasundhara Raje had become CM in 2003 because his demand of reservation for Jats under OBC category was not met. Since he had influence in the Bikaner region of the state he formed a party called Samajik Nyaya Manch. He had not only contested and had won the elected but his party had fielded candidates in Sikar, Nagore, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Churu and some more district securing 2.2 percent votes. It was observed that had Samajik Nyay Manch not been there, the BJP would have won around 140 seats.
Around the end of the BJP’s tenure in 2008, differences between Kirori Lal Meena and chief minister Vasundhara Raje emerged. Leaders like Ghanshyam Tiwari, Lalit Kishor Chaturvedi, Jaswant Singh, Mahavir Prashad Jain, Kailash Meghwal and Kirori Lal Meena had gone against her but only Meena had quit the party. Party had to pay the price for it and in the Meena dominated areas in eastern Rajasthan and the BJP had failed to get seats on the expected lines. Although party managed to win 78 seats, it was said that party could have formed the government again, had there not been rebellion in the party in 2008.
However, Lalsot MLA Kirodi Lal Meena, his wife and three other MLAs rejoined the party by merging his party-NPP with the BJP. Hanuman Beniwal a former BJP leader who has a strong influence on Jats had revolted against the party in 2013. He has quite a number of followers in the state. He was expelled from the party and contested 2013 elections as independent and had won Khinwsar seat of Nagore district. This year too similar threats looms over the saffron party in the state.