Will BJP Rely on Kirori Lal Meena to Take Up State Command? Countering the Anti-Tribal Narrative

Jaipur- With the dust settling post the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now gearing up for significant organizational changes.

Following CP Joshi’s re-election as MP from Chittorgarh, speculation is rife that he will soon be relieved from his organizational duties and appointed as the in-charge of another state.

The Rajasthan BJP’s extensive working committee meeting concluded on Saturday at JEC in Jaipur. However, sources indicate that substantial changes are imminent within the BJP organization.

According to insiders, this working committee meeting was likely CP Joshi’s last major event as State President. In light of these developments, the BJP leadership in Rajasthan is set to be handed over to another leader. The reins of BJP leadership in Rajasthan are poised for transition to a new figure with Kirori Lal Meena prominently positioned as a key contender. Alongside Meena, other potential candidates in consideration include Rajendra Gehlot, Avinash Gehlot, and Pabhulal Saini.

Meena had stated during the Lok Sabha election campaign that if the BJP candidate lost the Dausa seat, he would resign from his ministerial position. Later, he announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assigned him the responsibility for seven seats. He declared that if the BJP lost on these seats as well, he would resign. In the elections, the BJP lost not only the Dausa seat but also Karauli-Dholpur, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, and Bharatpur.

Meena, who has already submitted his resignation from the cabinet, has not yet had his resignation accepted. He has distanced himself from ministerial duties, refraining from attending the secretariat or participating in legislative proceedings. Meena has stated that his resignation was a commitment to fulfill a promise and that he harbors no resentment towards the government or the organization.

According to informed sources, Meena recently met BJP President JP Nadda in Delhi, during which Nadda discussed strengthening the organization with him.

Notably, Meena was also in the race for the Chief Minister's position, after announcement of results of the Rajasthan Assembly elections in November 2023 but the party high command entrusted the state leadership to Bhajanlal Sharma, who was elected as an MLA for the first time. Kirori Meena, a five-time MLA and former Rajya Sabha member, has previously been an MP from Dausa and Sawai Madhopur.

BJP’s Strategic Considerations with Kirori Lal Meena

In Rajasthan politics, the region of eastern Rajasthan is seen as the stronghold of Congress leader Sachin Pilot and BJP's Kirori Lal Meena. The BJP faced defeat in this area during the Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma also hails from eastern Rajasthan. Kirori Lal Meena represents the tribes, especially the Meena community, in Rajasthan politics.

The tribal population constitutes over 13% of Rajasthan’s total population, with the Meena community making up around 6%.

Given the significant Meena population, the BJP ensures that Kirori Lal Meena remains with the party at all costs. After a fallout with Vasundhara Raje, Meena left the BJP. During the 2013 elections, he fielded candidates on 150 seats and successfully won four of them. Subsequently, he rejoined the BJP before the 2018 elections, and the party even sent him to the Rajya Sabha.

Presently, the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) is rapidly gaining popularity among Rajasthan’s tribals. Contesting elections for the first time, the BAP secured four MLA seats and one MP seat.

By-elections are scheduled for 5 assembly seats, and Meena wields influence in four of them.

By appointing Meena as the State President, the BJP aims to counter the tribal issues being raised by Congress. Meena belongs to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, and his selection would be seen as a move to counter Congress's narrative that the BJP is against tribal communities.

This narrative gained traction after the 'DNA' remark by BJP Cabinet Minister Madan Dilawar about the tribal community. The issue of SC-ST reservations also cost the BJP heavily in the Lok Sabha elections.

Rajasthan is set to have by-elections on five assembly seats, including Jhunjhunu, Khinvsar, Deoli Uniara, Dausa, and Chaurasi. Among these, Deoli Uniara, Dausa, and Chaurasi have significant tribal populations. By leveraging Meena’s influence, the BJP hopes to mitigate potential losses on these crucial seats.

The current government has side lined several senior legislators, leading to internal factionalism. Meena’s inclusion in the organization, given his extensive political experience and vocal support base, could help bridge this divide.

During the previous Gehlot government, Meena played a pivotal role in major opposition movements, highlighting various issues, including the Jal Jeevan Mission scandal and the cash and gold scandal at the Planning Building.

Despite the BJP’s strong performance in Eastern Rajasthan during the Assembly elections, the party faced significant losses in the Lok Sabha elections, largely due to the reservation issue. Meena’s leadership is expected to help reclaim these critical areas.