Following the tragic death of visionary BJP leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, BJP lost majority of its Rajput supporters that drifted elsewhere. The party high command had to put a strong and futuristic leader in Singh’s place– a leader that could rebuild party’s deteriorating reputation among the royal families. This is when the party vested its confidence in Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje – a Khshatriya princess married to the erstwhile Jat rulers in Dhaulpur, Rajasthan.
The opposition was almost confident that she’s going to be a pushover, but the lady proved them wrong. To win the lost confidence of the Rajput community, Raje had to promote a strong and dynamic Rajput leader who would act like a bridge between the party and the Rajputs.
Accordingly, Raje promoted veterans like Devi Singh Bhati, VP Singh, young faces like Gajendra Singh from Jodhpur and Rajendra Rathode. She also express her belief in self-motivated princesses from the royal families, such as Rohini Kumari of Karauli, Sidhi Kumari of Bikaner and Diya Kumari of Jaipur. The selection was made with the intention to include Rajputs in the government.
Raje realized the importance of Kshatriyas in Rajasthan. Being the land of warriors, Kshatriyas formed the backbone of Rajasthan administration. Belonging to the royal family of Gwalior herself, Raje put in great efforts to earn recognition for her clan. A queen, who turned into a commoner for her people, Raje’s journey as a politician in Rajasthan is a very interesting tale. The first women chief minister of Rajasthan implemented several ideas to work in the favour of Rajputs.
- Raje’s Cabinet constitutes of deserving Rajput leaders appointed at various positions.
The current Rajasthan cabinet constitutes of 28 Rajput MLAs and 3 MPs that hold important positions. She vested her faith in talented non-political newcomers like Rajvardhan Singh Rathore, who were later promoted as the central ministers.
- Revival of Historic Memorials Celebrating the Glorious History of the Rajputs
Raje government made amends to historic monuments in Mewar, Udaipur, and Kumbalgarh with the intention to preserve the glorious history of Rajput clans. She inaugurated a landmark honouring Maharana Pratap in Mewar, panorama hotspots honouring King Surajmal and restored several monuments including the Kumbalgarh fort to enhance their aesthetic value.
Despite what the world says, Raje has played a crucial role in winning the Rajput mandate for BJP in Rajasthan. Needless to say, even the Rajput community has shown her faith in CM’s efforts. And it isn’t just the Rajputs but the remaining thirty five communities, who’ve re-established Raje as the chief minister of Rajasthan to ease the impact of ex-Gehlot government’s poor governance.
