Vasundhara earns a reprieve as tensions ease in Rajasthan

New Delhi, June 2 (UNI) Tensions seem to have eased after harrowing and hectic caste violence in Rajasthan and the talks between Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and leaders of Gujjar community, giving a reason for the BJP to heave a sigh of relief, sources said.

BJP leaders L K Advani and Jaswant Singh called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today following which the Prime Minister issued an impassioned appeal to all sections to maintain calm in the area.

The BJP has been maintaining that the Rajasthan Government and the party at the State and Central levels are working collectively to surmount the difficult situation. The Chief Minister is actively involved in the fire fighting talks. After the meeting the two leaders went to the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee where BJP President Rajnath Singh joined the exercise of reviewing the political situation.

With the easing of tension, the Rajasthan Chief Minister seems to have earned a reprieve as speculation about change of leadership in the state has been cropping up time and again. The abatement of caste violence has given relief as the state remained incident free, sources said.

Mr Jaswant Singh, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, is an identified leader of anti-Vasundhara camp, apparently looks isolated as he has found no backing from top leaders, sources said. "There will be no discussion on the leadership matter till normalcy is restored", sources said.

There have been media speculation about the leadership not just in Rajasthan but Chhattisgarh also. Mr Rajnath Singh has asserted that there was no discussion on the leadership issue and as the priority of the party was for restoring peace and order.

In Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is according lot of priority to overcome the anti-incumbency factor, the party is contemplating a 'heavy pruning' to set things in order. The party may not effect a leadership change for the simple reason it can't afford to have a fourth CM in four years. With the former Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janshakti Party leader Uma Bharti mending fences with the VHP and RSS leadership, the days of her return to the BJP fold are not very far off, sources said.

About the process of conceding of Gujjar community's demand to include them in the Scheduled Tribes list, sources said the Constitution allowed a 'limited role' for the State Government. It has to send districtwise reports in prescribed format on the status of the community in terms of its 'geographical isolation'.

Once this was over, it will have to go before Registrar General of Census, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the ST Commission. The process will fall through, even if there were objections from any one of these institutions. After clearance of these hurdles, it will go before Parliament and the notification will be issued by the President after the amendment is carried by both the Houses.

UNI