Raje's letter slams top leaders for her resignation mess

While Party President Rajnath Singh said he had only received a "three-line resignation letter" through an emissary of Raje, the former Rajasthan Chief Minister said she had written a letter and sent copies to all Board members.

Talking to reporters after meeting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee along with her MP-son Dushyant Singh, Raje said "I have sent the letter to all the eleven members (of Parliamentary Board) because they were the ones who have taken the decision (on her resignation). I have written to them respectfully." However, she refused to divulge details of the letter, saying "I have always been a disciplined member of the party and will always remain one. Whatever happened is something between me and the party." Raje said.

Raje refused to say whether she was forced to resign but in her letter she is understood to have said the manner in which her resignation issue was handled has humiliated her. Sources said Raje has accused the senior leaders of dealing with her through the media by leaking details of the progress on the issue.  Raje has also stated in the letter that there was lack of democracy in BJP's functioning, sources said adding that she said there was no accountability within the organisation.

She has accused the top leadership through the letter of not encouraging the progress of women in the organisation, they said. When a question on this issue was asked by the media outside Vajpayee's residence, Raje evaded a direct reply but said she worked for progress of women in Rajasthan.

Interestingly, Raje has also said some senior party leaders created hurdles in her functioning as Chief Minister, sources said. Her camp has always maintained that appointment of Om Mathur as Rajasthan BJP unit president had led to divisions at the two leaders did not see eye to eye. This was one of the reasons given for BJP's poll debacle in the state.

Raje has also reportedly stated that there had been a continuous decline in the party due to a lack of proper leadership. She has specifically mentioned the case of Uttar Pradesh, sources said.

However, Raje ended the letter saying that she was resigning unconditionally. Earlier, in the Parliamentary Board meeting, Rajnath Singh said he had received Raje's three-line resignation letter addressed to him. The Board then accepted her resignation.