With the Congress leadership averting a crisis in Rajasthan, its effects are being seen on the BJP camp. The opposition party cancelled its legislators’ meet scheduled for Tuesday evening as well as a three-day “training camp” for which many of its MLAs had been asked to stay put in a hotel. It has begun taking austerity measures to save money.
Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said the meeting will now be held at the state BJP office on August 13 at 11 am. However, senior leaders, including Union minister of Agriculture Narendra Tomar, national vice president and state in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna, would be in Jaipur to oversee the meeting.
The BJP has also called back its MLAs from Gujarat. It had hurriedly packed them off to the neighbouring state in chartered planes for safekeeping. It had accused the Congress of trying to lure its MLAs. The BJP had been eager to welcome Sachin Pilot to its BJP fold and had been counting their numbers—its own 75 clubbed with Pilot’s flock of 22 to stake claim to form the government.
As its chances of forming a government dimmed, the saffron party has immediately started cutting costs. The venue of the MLA meeting has been changed from a five-star hotel to the party office. Also, its MLAs are being brought back from Gujarat in buses.