Rajasthan polls: 'Maharani' roars to power with a thumping win

New Delhi: Vasundhara Raje, who failed five years ago on account of infighting in BJP, reinvented herself and galvanised the cadre to spearhead her party's spectacular comeback to power in Rajasthan. Born in the royal family of his highness Jivaji Rao Scindia, Vasundhara learned social and political issues from her mother Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia, ever since she was a teenager. Belonging to the royal Scindia family of Gwalior and married in Rajasthan, had even once threatened to quit the party. But then she managed to get the BJP high command fully behind her in her bid to oust the Congress government headed by Ashok Gehlot. The icing on the cake for her was the full-throated backing from Narendra Modi who extensively toured Rajasthan during the election campaign. In 1984, Vasundhara entered mainstream politics and joined the national working committee of BJP. She was the vice president of State BJP Yuva Morcha for two years (1984-86). Her rise from a National Executive member of BJP to one of its most powerful leaders in Rajasthan can be attributed to her charismatic personality and strong will, which have helped her tide over political crises from within and outside in her 30-year-long political career. After being appointed as BJP's National Executive member in 1984, she became vice-president of Yuva Morcha in Rajasthan a year later and was elected to state assembly the same year. Since then Raje's rise has been steady which culminated in her becoming the state's first woman chief minister in 2003 when the “angrezi-speaking maharani”, a phrase used by her critics to refer to her elitist and royal background, led BJP to its most famous victory in the predominantly rural state. Raje became the leader of Opposition but had to quit in February, 2010, on the party's directions after BJP suffered a drubbing in Lok Sabha polls, winning only four of 25 seats. Unlike her mother, who passionately advocated political Hinduism, Raje kept RSS and its affiliates at an arm's length from government's affairs. Marginalised by her party, she kept a low profile for some time before she rallied her supporters to bounce back last year. A reluctant BJP national leadership had little choice but to bow to her wishes and let her helm the party's affairs. Raje was appointed state party president and launched Suraj Sankalp Yatra in April, which drew a good response from people, lifting the morale of party workers. She was later named party's chief ministerial candidate. A graduate with economics and political science degrees from Mumbai University, Raje'e energetic campaign has been one of the hallmarks of the electioneering. At a personal level, she is more of the quintessential modern woman leader who is as much at ease in the traditional tribal dress hearing out the concerns of village population as she enjoyed walking the ramp or interacting with celebrities in royal parties. And her supporters love their ‘maharani' for this.