Raje resigns as Rajasthan Assembly’s Leader of Opposition
By ANIMonday, February 22, 2010
JAIPUR - Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday resigned as the leader of Opposition in the State Assembly after challenging the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership for nearly five months that had asked her to step down from the post following a poor show of the party in the last Lok Sabha elections.
Raje submitted her resignation to Speaker Deependra Singh Shekhawat today morning.
The then BJP President Rajnath Singh had asked her to step down as she was blamed for the party’s poor performance in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
BJP had managed to win only four Lok Sabha seats in 2009 as compared to 21 seats that they won in 2004 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress on the other hand had improved its performance by winning 20 seats as compared to four seats that they won in 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
Raje had then lashed out at the seniors in the party saying that they should be equally held responsible for the party’s fiasco.
She had said the party lacked democracy and put the blame on the party high command for insulting her.
Raje handed over her resignation today after a meeting of the BJP legislatures ahead of the start of the Budget session.
BJP’s chief whip in the assembly R S Rathore confirmed Raje’s resignation and said the new leader of Opposition would be elected within a week after consultations with the party high ommand. (ANI)
