New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday scotched rumours of any differences between party chief Rajnath Singh and senior leader LK Advani, especially in the aftermath of the appointment of the new Rajasthan state unit president Om Mathur.
Denying differences between the two, party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said: "Any comment specially on relations between Advani and Rajnath is mere speculation. Advani is to be leader of the party in the next general elections."
The appointment of Mathur, who was the party's national general secretary, as Rajasthan unit chief by Rajnath Singh has reportedly upset both Advani and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje.
As soon as Mathur was appointed president, Raje flew in to Delhi to meet senior party leaders and register her protest. On Wednesday, Raje could not meet Rajnath Singh as he was away in Karnataka.
Raje reportedly met Advani on Wednesday evening and flew back to Jaipur on Thursday morning after recording her protest over the appointment, party sources said.
According to the sources, the chief minister even threatened to resign if the party did not take immediate corrective measures. On Raje's reported threat, Rudy said: "We have no such information."
"Om Mathur has been made the president of the state BJP." He said the BJP has "very good relations with our state units. We have emerged as a strong political force in the country and that is why the Congress is spreading canards about the BJP."
Mathur's appointment is being interpreted as an attempt to appease the anti- Raje lobby within the state BJP, which did not please Advani either.
In October last year, Advani had attended a meeting of the state leaders in Jaipur, which was boycotted by six ministers and other senior leaders in the Rajasthan unit.
He later summoned Singh and other senior leaders to his home and expressed serious concern over the dissident activity in the state and suggested taking strict action against dissidents.
Om Mathur has replaced Mahesh Sharma, who was accused by the anti-Raje camp of acting at the behest of the Chief Minister and deliberately sidelining dissidents. Party sources said the Chief Minister was keen on retaining Sharma since the state Assembly elections are slated by the year-end.
Mathur, a grass-root level organisation man, is believed to enjoy the patronage of former Rajasthan chief minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Shekhawat's son-in-law Narpat Singh Rajvi is a minister in Rajasthan and an aspirant for the Chief Minister's post.
Mathur's appointment sends signals that in the coming days Shekhawat may have more say in the state's affairs, said party sources.
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