Rajasthan BJP's state unit chief CP Joshi, seen as a strong contender for the Chief Minister's post, has ruled himself out of the race. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Joshi said he was "looking forward to putting the first garland on the Chief Minister of Rajasthan if the BJP comes to power".
Mr Joshi, always mild-mannered, was sharp when asked about the Chief Minister post that has intrigued many in absence of the BJP failing to announce a candidate for the post. Speculation peaked as the party fielded several leaders who do not see eye-to-eye with Vasundhara Raje, the last BJP Chief Minister in the state.
Ms Raje has not been given any assurance about being the candidate for the top job, leading many to conclude that she has fallen foul of the party's central leadership.
"Why is the question of CM post coming up? The party has made it a rule that no Chief Ministerial candidate will be announced," Mr Joshi told NDTV today.
"The question of having a CM face for the BJP campaign should not arise. The BJP's parliamentary board has decided it will not fight the elections on a CM face. It has not fought the election on a cm face in Karnataka or Goa, so why should the question arise in Rajasthan," he added.
Mr Joshi, 48, was given charge of the state unit early this March, when it vied with the Congress in making headlines over factionalism. Since then, he has been credited with bringing together the rival factions and crafting a cohesive campaign that focuses on alleged anti-incumbency and Congress's failures.
Regarding the Congress campaign, Mr Joshi questioned today why the party had to wait for five years to come up with its guarantees.
"The Congress government should have given their guarantees earlier," he said, contending that the party is yet to fulfil its earlier promises. As examples, he cited the promise of one crore mobile phones. "They gave only 17 lakh," he added.
Rajasthan goes to polls on November 25 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.
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