In the midst of Rajasthan’s impending assembly polls, a seemingly casual remark made by former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has set the political rumor mill abuzz. Retirement is a monumental decision, especially for a seasoned politician, and Raje’s comment is being taken with a great deal of seriousness.
The moment in question occurred during a nomination rally held in her constituency of Jhalarapatan last Saturday. Raje, visibly moved by the overwhelming support of the people, was particularly touched by the speech delivered by her son, Dushyant Singh, a four-time Lok Sabha MP from Jhalawar Baran.
Expressing her gratitude as a “proud mother,” she extended her thanks to the people for their unwavering support for both herself and Dushyant. She acknowledged that the support and guidance of the people had played a pivotal role in Dushyant’s growth as a politician, to the point where she felt that she no longer needed to guide him. She went on to quip, “I may as well retire,” underlining Dushyant’s readiness to carry forward her political legacy.
While Raje presented this statement as an offhand, proud mother’s confession, it caught her staunch supporters off guard. Some political leaders speculated that it might be a strategic move to pacify dissenting voices within her party, raising the hope that she might retire soon. Meanwhile, her rivals interpreted it as a consequence of recent developments that have humbled her.
It’s no secret that Raje has had public disagreements with the BJP’s central leadership. For the first time in two decades, the party did not project her as the Chief Ministerial face and also denied tickets to many of her loyalists. “Raje is no longer the undisputed leader that she used to be. Even if the party decides to make her the Chief Minister for a third time, things will not be the same for her,” a BJP leader remarked.
However, both her party colleagues and opposition leaders acknowledge Raje’s seasoned political acumen and believe that she wouldn’t have casually tossed out the notion of retirement. Many political observers surmise that even if she doesn’t retire, the events leading up to her nomination strongly indicate a forthcoming change in her leadership role.
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