Rajasthan's political script: The CM who suits all, and serves little

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot may be out of power, but his pointed remarks continue to ruffle feathers in Rajasthan’s political landscape. 

Soon after his comments in Jodhpur that a conspiracy was being hatched to remove Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, he rallied around the CM, saying he wanted the first-time MLA-turned-CM to complete his full five-year term because “he suits us.”

“I have sympathy for Chief Minister Sharma. Not everyone is as fortunate as him,” Gehlot said. “It’s been one and a half years since he took office. Rule for five years, brother—who’s stopping you? You suit us: Pandit Bhajanlal suits everyone.” He added, “Why would we oppose him? We want him to govern well. But he must know his responsibilities.” 

Even as he offers support, Gehlot’s attacks on Bhajanlal’s floundering governance have remained relentless.
On Saturday, he launched another scathing attack, accusing it of delaying the Panchayati Raj elections deliberately.
He was caustic on X: “The BJP government, which talks about one and a half years versus five years, is in such a bad state that it is not even able to conduct the elections of Panchayati Raj and urban bodies. The BJP government is violating all constitutional provisions due to fear of defeat.”

Lending credence to Gehlot’s remarks about removal, the hashtag ‘Bhajanlal hatao, Rajasthan bachao,’ gained traction on the X handle a few days back. Opposition Congress was quick to latch onto the opportunity, saying it was just not an outpouring on social media but a spontaneous outburst of the common people, who were disillusioned with the governance of Bhajanlal. The BJP’s IT cell was quick to counter with the hashtag ‘Bhajanlal matlab bharosa,’ enumerating his achievements. Rajasthan state in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal and state president Madan Rathore jumped in to defend him, stating BJP chooses its CM for a period of five years. 

Political watchers say Bhajanlal has no adversaries in the party. He does not belong to any particular camp, so the cry for his ouster is unlikely to be from within the ranks of BJP. Moreover, he has not committed any blunders yet that would demand action. So any anti-Bhajanlal lobby is unlikely within the party.

Political observer Narayan Bareth told DH that Bhajanlal being a non-performer suits Congress. “He is no challenge. To date, he has not been able to take decisions on his own, has not made any political appointments, nor has he been able to choose heads of commissions, including the Rajasthan Women Commission.”

Lately, a minister’s worth is not measured in terms of achievement or governance; the whole orientation of politics has changed, according to Tribhuvan, a senior political analyst. The X hashtag was more the work of followers of Hanuman Beniwal, an influential Jat leader and chief of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and MP from Nagaur, who was miffed because he had been asked to vacate his MLA quarters. 

Analysts say Gehlot outdoes most other politicians in Rajasthan in terms of keeping himself under the spotlight. Politics for him is performative, more so for his sharp comments that raise eyebrows. Gehlot, a three-time CM who had easy access to the Congress high command earlier, is no longer favoured since he engineered a revolt in Jaipur in 2022 when asked to become the Congress Party president. Earlier, he had been an AICC general secretary, but now he remains just an MLA from the Sardarpura constituency.

“It is his way to keep himself relevant in state politics. His political acumen is unmatched, and his sharp comments draw attention,” says Tribhuvan.  “A seasoned politician, he speaks on all issues—ranging from Operation Sindoor and Shashi Tharoor to the sand mafia—and these create impact.”

Perhaps he is growing impatient with no role in national politics, says Sunny Sebastian, a senior political analyst. But he adds Gehlot does not make off-the-cuff remarks without hard evidence. 

Gehlot’s target to instigate internal squabbles in the BJP may have been
spot on. 

Gehlot’s challenger and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who is said to have colluded with him, especially during Pilot’s rebellion, also made an emotional outburst during a statue unveiling function in Ajmer. 

Alluding to those who have left her side because of her current political oblivion, she said that people put on masks and set themselves up in a new world of politics, but Sanwar Lal Jat, her former colleague, whose statue she unveiled, wasn’t one of them. She even spoke about the late Vice President and former CM Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, saying that the political climate of the state would have been different if he were alive.

Raje has time and again reiterated that she is neither quitting BJP nor Rajasthan. Her emotional outpouring intermittently may be one way of keeping herself germane in state politics.

But most political observers say there is no immediate cause of concern for Bhajanlal yet. Countering Gehlot, Bhajanlal said, “When I compare our one-and-a-half years of governance with five years of Congress rule, Congress leaders get a stomach ache. That’s why they keep raising unnecessary issues.” 

Moreover, with Bihar and West Bengal on BJP’s election platter, it is hard to imagine that the high command would have enough time and energy to focus on changing the mild-mannered, compliant Bhajanlal, who actually “suits” BJP top brass perfectly too.