Rajasthan assembly election 2023: Former Kolayat MLA Devi Singh Bhati on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) once again ahead of the assembly elections in the state. Devi Singh Bhati, who is considered to be a close aide of former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, is likely to contest from the Kolayat seat in the upcoming polls.
Bhati has been a seven-time MLA from the Kolayat seat.
According to reports, efforts to bring Bhati back into the party have been going around for months. However, due to a dispute with Arjun Ram Meghwal, his entry was getting delayed.
The decision to induct Devi Singh Bhati was taken after a late-night marathon meeting by the BJP on Wednesday.
Bhati rejoined the BJP in the presence of state party President CP Joshi, Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and in-charge Arun Singh.
"I have returned to BJP after 5 years. The party has embraced me. Due to certain circumstances I was separated at some point. I had discussions with senior officials. Whatever grievances there were have gone away. I have also spoken to Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. We both are satisfied. Together we will form the BJP government in 2023," Bhati said after joining the party on Thursday.
Bhati resigned from the BJP after differences occurred between him and Arjun Ram Meghwal who was being made party's candidate from Bikaner sear in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The then rebel leader Bhati had campaigned aggressively against Meghwal.
Devi Singh Bhati, a seven-time Kolayat MLA
Bhati was elected MLA for the first time from Kolayat assembly constituency in 1980. Since then, he had been continuously elected as MLA from this seat till 2008. He lost the election in 2013. In 2018, BJP had given ticket to his daughter-in-law Poonam Kanwar, but she too lost the election to Congress candidate Bhanwar Singh Bhati.
Assembly elections in Rajasthan are due to be held later this year.
With inputs from IANS
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