Crisis in Rajasthan unit blows over: BJP

Top central leaders of BJP, including Arun Jaitley, placated Raje this morning over phone and asked her to pipe down. She had gone public with her anger over her party colleague Gulabchand Kataria's decision to take out a yatra in the state.

With a majority of BJP MLAs and two party MPs submitting their resignation to Raje to express their solidarity with her, Kataria was forced to give up his plan.

"The clouds have cleared now and rains are expected... There was one misunderstanding and it has been resolved. Raje is the undisputed leader. She is the Leader of the Opposition," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

Party sources said the crisis began when BJP MP Kiran Maheshwari and Kataria, both of whom hail from Udaipur, had a conflict. Kataria had made some remarks against Maheshwari which she countered in the local media. When Kataria declared his intention to take out a yatra, it was opposed by Maheshwari, who is close to Raje, and others in the party.

Even the Rajasthan BJP Core Committee decided Kataria should not take out a yatra and Raje went public with her threat to quit the party if Kataria does not give up the idea, triggering the crisis.

Central BJP leaders conveyed to Raje that "she is the party" in Rajasthan and should give up her anger.

The BJP MLAs and MPs are likely to take back out of their resignation. Sources said some changes in the party organisation in Rajasthan may take place in near future as part of a formula worked out to set the house in order.