Rajasthan goes to polls on November 25
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sprang a surprise by meeting veteran BJP leader Suryakanta Vyas at her residence late Monday.
Mr Gehlot wrapped up his two-day campaign trail in Sardarpura constituency, from where he will be contesting the Assembly polls. He then reached the residence of Vyas in the walled city at around 12.30 am and stayed there for about 15 minutes.
Vyas is a three-time MLA from Soorsagar constituency, winning the polls in 2008, 2013, and 2018.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, ahead of his departure to join party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Jhunjhunu, Gehlot termed it a "courtesy visit" in recognition of her service to the people of Jodhpur.
"She has served Jodhpur for a long time. She has played a long inning. So, I visited her to give my respect to her," said Mr Gehlot.
The BJP has dropped 85-year-old Vyas from its list of candidates for the November 25 polls, replacing her with Devendra Joshi to contest from Soorsagar constituency.
According to party leaders, Vyas wasn't renominated due to her age.
However, Mr Gehlot claimed Vyas was denied a ticket because she praised his work and said the BJP should have shown some grace.
“She did not get a ticket because she praised me, my work... praising somebody's work is not bad. The BJP should have exhibited some grace," he said.
He said if development is taking place in Jodhpur, it will ultimately benefit the state. If somebody appreciates this, there should not be any prejudice against that person, he said.
Earlier, Mr Gehlot rejected that Vyas was denied a ticket due to her age, claiming there were others of her age in the BJP who had got tickets.
Is it wrong for an MLA from an opposition party to give a positive opinion on a chief minister if his government is doing good work? Gehlot said. So why punish those who have good and amicable relations with me, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)