Madan Rathore assumes charge as Rajasthan BJP president
Mr. Rathore, 70, a Rajya Sabha MP, was appointed the BJP State president on July 26, replacing C.P. Joshi, who resigned following the party’s poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha election
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma with newly-appointed State BJP President Madan Rathore and party leaders Vasundhara Raje and C.P. Joshi during Mr. Rathore’s taking-charge ceremony, in Jaipur on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Newly-appointed Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajasthan unit president Madan Rathore assumed charge of the position after arriving here from New Delhi on Saturday. A large number of BJP workers welcomed Mr. Rathore at Sanganer airport as he headed to the party’s State headquarters at Sardar Patel Marg in a motorcycle rally.
Mr. Rathore, 70, a Rajya Sabha Member from the State, was appointed the BJP State president on July 26, replacing C.P. Joshi, who had offered to resign following the party’s poor performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader’s appointment has been perceived in the State as a step by the BJP to balance caste equations ahead of the Assembly byelections to five seats.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, outgoing State president Mr. Joshi, senior party leaders along with MPs and MLAs attended the ceremony in which Mr. Rathore took charge of his position after performing religious rites.
Soon after Mr. Rathore took over as the new party chief, Ms. Raje said in her address that every person in public life had to go through “ups and downs”, which could enhance one’s stature, while position and pride were temporary phases. “The pride of position decreases the stature of a [political] leader,” Ms. Raje said.
Ms. Raje’s remarks were discerned with great interest and sought to be linked with her supporters’ demand to project her as the Chief Ministerial face before the 2023 State Assembly election. The former CM, who was a strong claimant to the top post, said the biggest position for her was the love and trust of people, which no one could take away.
She affirmed that taking everyone along in the organisation was a “difficult task” and several leaders had failed in this endeavour in the past. “I do feel that Madanji will remain connected to the roots and will never feel the pride of position,” she said.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Rathore said he would keep the ‘guru mantra’ (guide’s advice) given by Ms. Raje and called upon the party workers to support the State government while also being open about their grievances and suggestions.
Mr. Sharma said the BJP government and the organisation would work together to take the benefits of the Centre’s schemes and plans to the grassroots. The Chief Minister said Mr. Rathore’s appointment would strengthen the party with his long experience, as he had held several organisational responsibilities in the past.
A native of Pali district, Mr. Rathore belongs to the OBC Ghanchi community and served as MLA during Ms. Raje’s two tenures in 2003-2008 and 2013-2018. He was also the BJP’s Deputy Chief Whip in the State Assembly between 2014 and 2018. He was elected as a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan five months ago.
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