Rajasthan BJP may approach Amit Shah for action against rebel MLA Gahnshyam Tiwari

Rajasthan BJP will press the central leadership to take action against rebel party MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari who wrote a letter to party chief Amit Shah making several accusations against chief minister Vasundhara Raje and demanding that she be sacked in “public interest”.

The Sanganer MLA also accused Raje of “misusing” her political power for “personal gains” and said that the state government was a group of people “who extort money”.

Tiwari had earlier said that the process to form his own political outfit, Bharat Vahini, will be completed in a month and the party will contest the upcoming assembly elections in all the 200 constituencies. A five-time MLA, Tiwari has maintained a rebellious stance for close to three years now. The senior leader, who is considered close to Sangh Parivar, has also cornered and embarrassed the government on the floor of the Assembly on many occasions.

“The party has given him long rope. I think the time has come to take action against him and set an example for others who are working against the party. The fact that he has floated a party and plans to contest the assembly elections cannot be overlooked,” a BJP leader said requesting anonymity.

State BJP president Ashok Parnami said Tiwari’s case was pending with the party’s central disciplinary committee and it was up to the committee to take a decision on the matter.

In May last year, the committee had issued a notice to Tiwari asking him to explain his position on four issues to which the MLA had replied. However, the committee is yet to respond or take any action. Sources said the state party leadership has conveyed its displeasure about Tiwari to Shah on more than one occasion. Last month, Tiwari also chose to boycott a meeting called by Rajasthan party in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna in Jaipur rural.

In the strongly-worded letter to Shah, Tiwari alleged that “the Rajasthan government is a government of a dictator and is a group of those who extort money. Corruption has been institutionalised under Raje government and social harmony has been disturbed.”

He alleged there was “resentment among all castes and communities” against the chief minister and that was evident when black flags were shown during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting at Jhunjhunu in March.

“The chief minister is not interested in the organisation and government reforms,” Tiwari said. He also claimed party workers were opposed to the leadership in Jaipur, Bikaner, Barmer, Kota, Udaipur, Alwar, Ajmer, Sikar and other districts “which shows the level of resentment” against the chief minister.

“I was earlier served a notice for indiscipline, but I gave very factual reply clarifying that it is the chief minister who is not disciplined. But no action against her has been taken so far,” he said.

Tiwari, however, has said that he can contest next assembly elections on a BJP ticket only if Raje was not at the helm of affairs in the state. “I demand from the party to sack the chief minister. She should no longer be in the state politics and this is the only condition on which I will consider contesting election on a BJP ticket” he said. “I cannot contest election under Vasundhara Raje’s leadership”.