The fielding of Bhupendra Yadav as the BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan has triggered a debate on “local vs outsiders” in the state politics.
The saffron party got a taste of the anger of its rank and file when senior party legislator and former minister Devi Singh Bhati openly questioned the nomination of an outsider for the Rajya Sabha. The state has a long list of such paratroopers who made their political capital at the cost of locals and subsequently left the state after losing the elections.
Mr Bhati was critical of the decision when party MLAs assembled to welcome Mr Yadav before he filed his nomination. Mr Yadav and the party leadership saw some uncomfortable moments on Monday at the party office when Mr Bhati said it was wrong to impose someone from outside the state. “Of course, we have to follow the party’s decision, but the party should take a pledge from such outsiders to serve the state,” he said at the meeting. Hailing from Haryana, Mr Yadav argued that he had received his education in Ajmer.
Not only the BJP, the issue of outsiders has annoyed party workers in the ruling Congress as well. The BJP had fielded lawyer Ram Jethmalani and the Congress nominated Anand Sharma for the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan in 2010.