Published By: Sanstuti Nath
Last Updated: August 31, 2023, 20:30 IST
Led by Vasundhara Raje, the first yatra is set to start from Trinetra Ganesh Temple in Sawai Madhopur on September 2 (File Image: PTI)
Raje was the BJP’s chief ministerial face in past few elections when she led the yatra, but the party has this time said the 2023 poll will be fought on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s face
A day before the BJP’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ begins under the “collective leadership” in Rajasthan, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje will on Friday go on a one-day religious tour of three temples in the state.
Raje has led the poll-related yatras in the state in the past which started from Chabhujanath temple in Rajsamand, but the BJP has this time decided to take four ‘Parivartan Yatras’, each to be launched by a central leader with state functionaries joining them.
Raje was the BJP’s chief ministerial face in past few elections when she led the yatra, but the party has this time said the 2023 poll will be fought on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s face.
Raje will visit Charbhujanath temple and Srinathji temple (both in Rajsamand) and Tripura Sundari temple in Banswara on Friday, a day before the first ‘Parivartan Yatra’ is launched by BJP president J P Nadda from the Trinetra Ganesh temple in Ranthambore in Sawai Madhopur.
A leader close to Raje said it is her personal visit to the temples and added she always visits temples before the beginning of such yatras.
According to the tour plan, Raje is scheduled to reach Charbhujanath temple in Garbhor at 9.30 am on Friday in a helicopter and offer prayers there. She will then leave for Nathdara in Rajsamand and visit Shrinathji temple there at 11.15 am.
Raje will then leave for Tripura Sundari temple in Banswara district.
From Banswara, she will go to Kota and pay tributes to the brother of former BJP MLA Prahlad Gunjal who passed away recently. She will return to Jaipur in the evening.
The BJP’s four yatras will traverse through all 200 assembly constituencies under which kisan chaupal, motorcycle rallies, meeting of women and Dalit chaupals will be organised to garner support for the party.
Central and state BJP leaders will address rallies during the yatras.
The second yatra will be launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah from September 3 from Beneshwar Dham in Dungarpur. It will cover 52 constituencies in Udaipur and Kota divisions and Bhilwara district in 19 days. The third yatra will be launched from Ramdevra in Jaisalmer on September 4 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Fifty-one constituencies of Jodhpur division, Ajmer and Nagaur districts will be covered in 18 days by this yatra.
The fourth yatra will be launched on September 5 from Gogamedi, Hanumangrh, by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. This yatra will cover 50 constituencies in Bikaner division, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Alwar districts in 18 days.
Raje had undertaken a ‘Parivartan Yatra’ from Charbhujanath temple earlier in April 2003. The BJP then came to power and she became the chief minister for the first time.
In April 2013, she started the ‘Suraj Sankalp Yatra’ from the same temple in which Rajnath Singh, who was then the BJP president, projected her as the CM face. The party got the mandate and she became the chief minister for the second time.
While in power, Raje commenced ‘Gaurav Yatra’ from the Charbhuja Nath temple in August 2018. In the 2018 assembly elections, the Congress came to power in Rajasthan.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)