Rajendra Rathore named Leader of Oppn in Rajasthan assembly, Satish Poonia his deputy

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced Churu MLA Rajendra Rathore as the new Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan assembly and former state party president Satish Poonia as his deputy.

The Leader of Opposition’s post had been lying vacant after Gulab Chand Kataria was appointed Assam governor in February. Rathore, who was then the deputy leader of the opposition, continued in the assembly as the de facto Leader of Opposition after Kataria’s departure.

The party announced Rathore’s name in a unanimous decision by the MLAs in the legislature party meeting in Jaipur on Sunday, party leaders privy to the matter said.

Addressing the gathering, Rathore thanked the party and said he will “work and follow” the BJP’s policies and directions.

“In the six months left, I will work for the party. We will work (accordingly) and follow whatever directions we get from our leaders. We are seeing this corrupt Congress-led government in Rajasthan where the accused in the Jaipur bomb blasts go free. The law and order has collapsed...and unemployment and corruption are rampant. We will work to throw out this government,” he said.

Rathore further said Poonia had done good work in the state and announced his name as deputy leader of the opposition. Rathore is a seven-time MLA of the BJP.