Absence Sparks Talk Of Shekhawat'S Fall Government'S Fall

The absence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat from the state has led to speculations in Opposition circles on the possibility of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government being toppled.

Shekhawat is abroad for a heart bypass surgery and is expected to return on January 10.

Those involved in such deliberations draw sustenance from the Gujarat example. They point out that in September 1996, a section of the state BJP owing allegiance to Shanker Singh Vaghela had stepped up dissident activities when the Chief Minister had gone abroad to attract foreign investment. Those involved in the exercises to topple the government in Rajasthan are mainly from the Janata Dal (JD).

Observers, however, make light of the challenge to Shekhawat since there is no ground on which the Centre could dismiss the government; and second, the JD has only three MLAs in the 200-member assembly.

With an effective strength of 199 seats in the House, the BJP now has a clear majority. It had formed the government with the help of independents, but secured a majority after the recent round of byelections. The next session of the assembly begins from January 20.

Politicial circles in Jaipur rule out any challenge to Shekhawat, who is known for his acumen and support from even non-BJP parties. There is, however, dissidence in the state BJP, but sources said it had not reached major proportions.

About 12 BJP legislators are said to be unhappy over the alleged discrimination of Jats and the Scheduled Castes among them. Deputy Chief Minister Hari Shankar Bhabhra was also reported to be unhappy with Shekhawat's style of functioning.

Other than the JD circle, the talk about the possibility of the Shekhawat government being toppled emanates from Bhanwar Lal Sharma, a former BJP leader who was expelled for anti-party activities.

State JD chief Arjundan Detha hoped to bring about a split in the BJP and secure the support of 33 BJP legislators.

According to him, the 76-member Congress would support a JD-led just as the party had extended support to the JD-led United Front (UF) government at the Centre.

Sources in Jaipur, however, virtually laughed off such an eventuality given the influential Shekhawat factor. They said that any such attempts would peter out the day the Chief Minister returned.

Former Union minister of state for finance Satish Agarwal also yesterday ruled out any threat to the government.