Jaipur: BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena on Wednesday confronted a senior party leader in front of Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat when his supporters were denied entry to the venue where NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu met party legislators.
The incident took place at a hotel here before Murmu’s arrival as tribal leader Meena reached there with over 100 people, according to party sources.
He had a heated argument with Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan assembly Rajendra Rathore, a video of which surfaced on social media.
Later, both leaders came into damage control mode and called each other “brother”.
As both leaders argued and Meena started yelling at Rathore for not allowing his supporters to enter the venue, Shekhawat had to intervene. The party had made arrangements for the welcome of Murmu by tribal people in a small hall at the hotel before her meeting with the legislators.
Later, Meena issued a clarification on social media, saying there are no differences between him and Rathore.
He said it was natural for an emotional person like him to get angry when the tribal workers, who came to Jaipur from Dungarpur, Banswara, and other remote areas to congratulate Murmu, did not get entry to the venue.
“I put the anguish of my tribal brothers and sisters in front of Rajendra Rathore. If I had not told my point to my loved ones, then to whom would I say,” he said.
“No matter how hard one tries, there is no difference between me and my brother Rajendra Rathore. There is no question of any difference of opinion,” he said in a statement that he also shared on Twitter.
Rathore also replied to Meena’s tweet and said the MP is like a brother to him.
He said the video of their conversation is being publicized in the wrong manner.
Rathore said Meena has been his friend for the past 30 years. “As a brother, he spoke with authority and affection,” he said.
On the other hand, Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra shared the video of the incident on Twitter and taunted the party leaders.
He said the infighting in the BJP is increasing and party leaders have nothing to do with people.
| Posted by Veena Nair | 
