BJP ignores biggies

BJP on Saturday dropped nine more of its sitting MPs, disregarding resistance from influential satraps and dramatic protests of the discards. In an interesting choice, the party named Diya Kumari, scion of the former Jaipur royal family, for the Rajsamand seat in the Lok Sabha. In doing so, it has ignored strained equations the former Jaipur royals share with ex-CM Vasundhara Raje. This is the second instance of the brass taking calls which Raje may not be comfortable with. Early on, it reached out to saffron rebel Hanuman Beniwal, who had quit the party in protest against Raje's unquestioned dominance. BJP is backing Beniwal's candidature for the Nagore seat as an independent. Diya's choice for Mewar seat raised eyebrows because Rajputs of the area have not been fond of her family since the days of their challenge to Mughal emperor Akbar.   The then rulers of Jaipur chose to side with the Mughals, a call seen by Mewar Rajputs as treason.