Shah meets Rajasthan BJP leaders to chalk out polls strategy, stresses unity

New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday asked the party's Rajasthan leaders to keep their internal fights aside and prepare for the upcoming assembly elections in the state unitedly.

According to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, Shah gave these tips to the state unit leaders during a meeting with Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje and several senior party leaders.

The BJP Chief also held discussion over the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and asked the party leaders to take the achievements of the Narendra Modi government to the people of the state.

Beside Raje, the meeting was attended by party Vice President Om Mathur, General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav, Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Arjun Meghwal, C.R. Choudhary and the state General Secretary (organization) Chandrasekhar.

Discussions were also held on the selection of party's state President, which is lying vacant since April this year after Ashok Pranami, a Raje lloyalist stepped down, after the party's stunning defeat in two Lok Sabha and one assembly by-polls earlier this year.

According to party leaders, Shah wanted to name Shekhawat, an MP from Jodhpur as the new state party President, a move opposed by Raje.

Raje had floated the names of Urban Development Minister Srichand Kriplani and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Arun Chaturvedi for the post, but the party leadership had rejected the nominees.

BJP's national Vice President and state in charge Avinash Rai Khanna told media after the meeting that there is no rift in the party over the state President's post. "Soon a decision would be taken on the name of the state party President," he said.

He also said that during the meeting, discussions were held on the party's preparation in the state for the coming assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections.

The party leaders have decided to begin a state wide Yatra covering entire assembly constituencies.

Sources also said that before meeting Shah, Raje along with her close aides held a meeting at the Bikaner House.