Who will be the next Rajasthan Oppn leader?

As Rajasthan assembly session is all set to begin from January 15, the Opposition BJP is yet to decide a suitable Leader of Opposition (LoP).

Despite the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting which decided "not to" nominate any of the chief ministers in any state where the party had lost the Assembly polls, Vasundhara Raje is still the front runner for the post.

Other than the Raje, the possible candidature of former Panchayat Raj Minister Rajendra Rathore and outgoing speaker of Rajasthan assembly and nine-time MLA Kailash Meghawal is being discussed.

While Rathore has a reputation of being the "troubleshooter" in the party, Meghawal at the same time is the oldest MLA and hails RSS ideology. Meghawal's candidature could be fruitful for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls in order to play ST/SC caste card.

However, sources in the party reveal that former chief minister Vasundhara Raje could be ideal for the post.

In 2008, when BJP had lost to Congress, Vasundhara Raje opted for the post of LoP while Om Prakash Mathur, under whose presidentship the BJP lost the Assembly elections, had continued in his post till the 2010 Lok Sabha election.

However, both had to resign after party lost 20 seats in the LS polls. But Raje made a come back in 2011 and was also made state party president in the election year of 2013.

A senior party leader told DH: "There are high chances that Raje will be made LoP, but in case she refuses, the 85-year-old Meghawal may be sought. Rajendra Rathore, considered a close aide of Raje, has bright."

Interestingly, out of the 73 BJP MLAs who won, 50 are said to be Raje loyalists. Experts believe that even if she cannot get the post, she will have her say on the candidature of speaker.