Jaipur: Former Chief Minister Vashudhara Raje, named the new BJP president in Rajasthan, has run into problems with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), informed sources said on Monday.
Sources in the RSS told IANS that its leaders were not happy that Raje had been appointed the state BJP chief replacing Arun Chaturvedi, who was a RSS nominee.
It is learnt that these leaders have conveyed their displeasure to the Bharatiya Janata Party as she is being projected as the chief ministerial candidate ahead of Assembly elections due in November.
"Raje was not acceptable to RSS as the CM candidate in 2008 due to her autocratic style of functioning," a RSS leader told IANS.
"There is no question of accepting her as CM candidate this time too," the leader said.
"RSS is of the view that she should not be projected as the CM candidate even if it causes the BJP to lose the election."
After weeks of speculation, Raje was named the new chief of BJP's state unit on Friday.
In an effort to placate senior leader Gulab Chand Kataria who was at loggerheads with her, the party leadership appointed him the leader of the Opposition.
BJP president Rajnath Singh's announcement that the next election in Rajasthan would be fought under Raje's leadership drew criticism not only from the RSS but also from some BJP leaders in the state.
A BJP leader told IANS that senior leader Ghanshaym Tiwari walked out of the BJP core group meeting in New Delhi Friday while Raje's name was being finalised.
"Tiwari left on the pretext that he had some pressing assignment. But it is apparent he is not happy," the source said.
"RSS has instructed Katariya and Tiwari to continue to protest against the projection of Raje as chief ministerial candidate," the source added.
"Katariya backed out by agreeing with the central leadership's decision... RSS is not happy about this too."
The rift in the BJP in Rajasthan widened in May last year when Raje threatened to resign from the party's primary membership over Kataria's 'Lok Jagaran Yatra'.
Party legislators came out in support of Raje and demanded that she be made the state president. A few legislators offered to resign in support of Raje.
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