Show Of Strength: Several Rajasthan BJP Legislators, Leaders Attend Raje's Bundi Meet

"It was a grand event in which more than 40 MLAs and about 10 MPs were present," Tonk-Sawaimadhopur MP Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria claimed. The BJP has 71 MLAs in the House of 200.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje . (Source: Getty Images)

Jaipur: Over half of the BJP MLAs skipped Rajasthan Assembly proceedings on Tuesday to attend a birthday event of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje in Bundi, in an apparent show of strength by the senior party leader.

"It was a grand event in which more than 40 MLAs and about 10 MPs were present," Tonk-Sawaimadhopur MP Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria claimed. The BJP has 71 MLAs in the House of 200.

Former BJP state president Ashok Parnami also made a similar claim.

Supporters of the BJP national vice president often project her as the future chief minister of Rajasthan.

Raje celebrated her birthday by offering prayers at a temple and addressed a public meeting on the banks of the Charmanyawati River in Kesoraipatan, around 250 km from state capital Jaipur.

Some of the MLAs reportedly reached Bundi for the event in the morning.

The BJP will win the 2023 assembly elections, Raje said, claiming that the number '3' has always been auspicious for the party in the state.

In 2003, the party with 120 seats in the state assembly registered a historic win, followed by another win in 2013 with 163 seats, the BJP leader, who was chief minister in 2003-2008 and 2013-2018, said.

The next chance to form government is in 2023 and all past records will be broken, Raje told the gathering after offering a 500 meters long 'chunri' at the Mata Chambal temple and a 'Deep Dan'.

The Raje camp claimed that MPs Ramcharn Bohra, Jaunpuria and Dushyant Singh were present on the occasion.

MLAs Kalicharan Saraf, Ashok Lahoti, Pratap Singh Singhvi, Chandrakanta Meghwal, Kalpna Singh, Anita Bhadel, Ramswroop Lamba and Narendra Nagar were also at the meeting, it claimed.

Besides them, former ministers of the previous Raje-led governments like Yunus Khan, Babulal Verma and Srichand Kripalani along with former legislators Prahlad Gunjal and Bhawani Singh Rajawat attend the event, the camp claimed.

Former state BJP president Ashok Parnami, former NCW chairman Mamta Sharma, former Bundi party president Mahipat Singh Hada and former state executive member Rupesh Sharma were there at Raje's birthday event, it claimed.

There was no official comment on the development by the party.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan 'Saab ka Saath, Saab Ka Vikas', Raje said there is harmony among all communities in the state and the BJP embraces all.

"Politics is not work of two days. One has to work hard. One has to add his heart only then a big family (like the BJP) develops," she said.

"I have witnessed several ups and downs in my political career, I had to face several challenges and troubles but all of you supported me," she said.

Slamming the Congress government in the state, Raje said the present government is a government that only makes announcements, but never fulfils them.

It is yet to fulfil the promise of waving farmers' loan up to Rs 2 lakhs. It had promised to do so within 10 days after assuming power, Raje said

"Development was registered but in sectors of crime, woman harassment, atrocities against Dalits, in corruption and unemployment," she said attacking the Gehlot government

"(Ashok) Gehlotji is more concerned about votes while I am concerned of wellbeing of the public," Raje said and added he only wakes up at the time of elections.

A former Bundi district BJP office bearer said members of the party, including present and former legislators, from across Rajasthan attended the event.

It was a huge gathering and there was six to seven km long traffic jam, Parnami claimed.