Former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat died on Saturday, two days after he was admitted to a hospital in Jaipur after he complained of uneasiness and breathing problems. Shekhawat, 87, breathed his last at 11.10 am at the Swai Man Singh Hospital. Shekhawat's condition deteriorated today morning and he was put on ventilator, said Ashok Pangaria, another doctor at the hospital. The former vice president was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit on the night of May 13.
After throwing a virtual challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani by stating that he may contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on Thursday sprang a surprise when he visited the former for a luncheon meet. "Shekhawat visited Advani at his residence today and spent about two hours with him. He also had lunch with the senior leader," informed a source close to Advani.
Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation marks the third instance of a vice president resigning mid-term in India. The article looks at past instances of vice presidents who resigned.
An overview of the past vice presidential elections in India, highlighting uncontested wins, multi-cornered fights, and notable candidates.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on the premises of Rajasthan Congress leader and former minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Punjab AAP MLA Kulwant Singh as part of a money laundering probe linked to the Rs 48,000-crore PACL Ponzi scam. Khachariyawas, who served as a minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, claimed the ED action was politically motivated due to his criticism of the government. Singh, a real estate promoter, is reported to be Punjab's richest MLA with assets worth Rs 1,000 crore. The ED has been investigating the PACL scam since 2015, alleging that the company defrauded investors of Rs 48,000 crore through fraudulent investment schemes.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday asserted that votes are won on the basis of "politics of service" rather than on "posters and banners".
The BJP's nationwide vote share saw its steepest decline in Rajasthan, falling by 9.23% from 2019, resulting in the loss of 11 seats.
'I gave enough evidence and proof to punish corrupt officials.' 'But my own government has not filed any FIR against such officials.'
Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari and Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore are among the seven BJP parliamentarians who will contest the Rajasthan Assembly polls, according to the first list of 41 candidates issued by the party on Monday.
Terming Gehlot's "praises" for her as a big conspiracy, Raje in a statement on Sunday night said he "has made such outrageous and untrue allegations because of the rebellion happening in his own party and diminishing mass base".
Raje however, said that "Gehlot's 'praises' is a big conspiracy" against her.
"I sometimes think of leaving it, but the chief minister's post doesn't leave me," Ashok Gehlot famously said earlier this year, in part as a signal to the Congress top brass not to pick someone else for the job if the party wins the assembly polls.
The party also decided to field Narpat Singh Rajvi from Chittorgarh after its earlier decision to deny the five-term MLA, who is the son-in-law of its stalwart leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, renomination from his Vidhyadhar Nagar seat. This triggered a backlash from a section of party workers.
The BJP has fielded 18 MPs, including four Union ministers, for the latest round of assembly polls so far -- seven each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and four in Chhattisgarh.
A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party announced its first list of 41 candidates for the Rajasthan assembly polls, at least seven disappointed ticket aspirants -- or their supporters -- on Tuesday protested against the party.
The Jats are a political force in Rajasthan and the community's presence in 85 assembly constituencies may tilt the balance in electoral politics.
Vasundhara Raje may have had her faults but she is an unconventional and brave leader who deserves better, observes Aditi Phadnis.
Chef par excellence Satish Arora recalls his days working as a chef to prime ministers to Chandrima Pal.
'They could have told the media that there is nothing in it and let me read it out.'
Shekawat has been ill for the past 2 or 3 days.
Amid a sombre mood, the mortal remains of former vice-president and thrice Rajasthan chief minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat were consigned to flames with full state honours in Jaipur on Sunday.
Respected as a deft politician, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat enjoyed the enviable reputation of 'Ajatshatru' -- for having friends across the political spectrum in his over five decades-long political career. The former vice president, who died in Jaipur on Saturday at the age of 87, was undoubtedly among the top three leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, who brought him to the centre-stage as vice president in August 2002.
The opposition alliance believes "compulsive abstention" has no place in presidential elections.
Adding to the BJP's fears, former vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat met senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Friday.
Former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on Thursday sought to end speculation that he is an aspirant for the National Democratic Alliance's prime ministerial candidate. There have been reports for the past two days that Shekhawat might contest Lal Kishanchand Advani as the prime ministerial candidate.
Leader of the Opposition Lal Kishanchand Advani on Wednesday appeared upset over the increasing questions being asked about his eligibility as the prime ministerial candidate. First, former vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat questioned the policy of naming a candidate before the elections and usurping the MPs' right to elect a leader.
He also suggested holding elections to all representative bodies simultaneously.
'The good governance which the Congress government claims has resulted in a regime where women in Rajasthan are afraid to go out of their homes.'
The Parliament adjourned for the day on the opening day of the monsoon session after paying tributes to former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and two sitting members who died during the inter-session period on Monday.
The fact that Gehlot has stayed relevant these five years with his populist schemes is one reason why he may beat incumbency in a state that votes for change every election, observes Ramesh Menon.
Expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh found an ardent supporter in former vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today when the latter praised his book on Pakistan-founder M A Jinnah and also appeared to reprimand the party for asking him to quit Parliament's Public Accounts Committee chairman's post.
The funeral will take place on Wednesday, the Vatican said.
In fact they had been expecting the defeat once the United Nationl Progressive Alliance decided to abstain from the election and not support Shekhawat.
The NDA says the Congress' move to get Natwar disqualified is because he proposed the VP's name.
Shekhawat was accompanied by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other NDA leaders.
Kalam likely to refuse the front's offer; BJP hopes this may swing some front votes its way.
Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat met United Progressive Alliance-Left presidential candidate Pratibha Patil on Saturday.
However, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, hosting a meeting of the leaders of the Third Front in Chennai on Sunday, said the Front would 'choose a nominee' for the presidential election.
Consultations on the next Presidential candidate gained momentum today with the Left parties indicating their support to a Congress candidate while Bharatiya Janata Party began lobbying for its nominee and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
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