Law Kumar Mishra
Then BJP veteran, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat took oath as chief minister for fourth time on December 4,1993. His ministry was dismissed the previous year following Ayodhya episode.
In the 1993 assembly elections for 200 seats in Rajasthan assembly, neither the BJP nor Congress had got a majority. The 21 Independents and 6 Janata MLAs held the key to power.
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat at that time told me, “I am CM on leave for one year only.” (TOI had published on page 1 with this headline). I had reported for duty at Jaipur from Patna a few weeks ago following movement orders over landline.
And I got an opportunity to visit the state, cover the elections immediately. The Congress High-Command, as usual was delaying in intervening.
Prabodh Rawal, the Gujarat Congress Chief, was camping at Khasa Kothi, along with Ahmad Patel’s friend, Raju Parmar. They knew me professionally well as a journalist during my Naukri in Gujarat. I was staying next door, had professional duty to see, hear, everything, but maintained the right of privacy of the leaders and their followers too. First hand experience of attempts to” buy “, influence newly elected, attempted government formation, failures
All the top leaders from different parts of the country had occupied all starred hotels in the Pink City.
L K Advani had come from New Delhi in a chartered plane with media persons from New Delhi. As the government formation was getting delayed, tension was rising in the pink city. All the roads leading to Raj Bhawan were barricaded as Governor Baliram Bhagat, an octogenarian leader from Patna City who worked under three generations of Gandhis, was the target.
Congress had several choices as CM candidates, including veteran Harideo Joshi. He did not move out of his farm house on Ajmer road. AICC sent Pranab Mukherjee, Bhajan Lal, Beant Singh Rajashekar Reddy, Balram Jakhar, P R Das Munshi and Ahmad Bhai Patel later.
Advani and Shekhawat marched to Raj Bhawan, reporters too followed them. At Raj Bhawan, the entry was restricted, the reporters were asked to the enjoy winter Sun rays that were falling on the grounds. After some delay, BJP leaders were invited by Bhagat on the first floor of Raj Bhawan.
After an hour, they emerged out with victory sign. Shekhawat directed reporters to come to party office on Ashoka road. He invited them for lunch and then a PC. He narrated the events/ talks that took place in Raj Bhawan. Bhagat was reluctant to invite even after the claim of written support of the independent MLAs.
To quote Shekhawat, “I told him, kuch to khayal karo, ek paon Kabra Mai hai, upar kya jawab doge Bhai Sahib.”
The Governor left us for a while, he returned after ten minutes and invited me to form the government. He had called up Narsimha Rao (then PM) and after his approval, decided to give us a chance”.
BJP had one CM candidate in 1993, Congress many that included Harideo Joshi, Parasram Maderna, Ramniwas Mirdha, Nawal Kishore Sharma.
Shekhawat rejoined as CM to the rejoice of BJP leaders. BJP acted fast, Congress even reacted late.
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat,who was architect of Antodaya developed the political craft of alliance politics and proved a statesman during his innings as CM.
During this tenure, Khalistan Liberation Force kidnapped Rajendra Mirdha, son of then union minister and Jat leader Ramniwas Mirdha from C scheme, Jaipur during morning walk on February 17,1995
SP of Jaipur was seen outside Mirdha hour in mufti and had covered himself with a woollen chadar and tried to mislead even police beat reporters “kuch nahi hua”.
But Mirdha family gave details, how terrorists kidnapped him by asking about a house in the area, dumped him into Maruti van, collected his medical prescriptions, assured regular medication, purchased prescribed drugs and assured no harm.
They wanted release of a top militant Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar in ransom. Times of India published a front page report indicating hideout was on the outskirts (then) of Jaipur, though militants made calls to family from Chandigarh, New Delhi numbers to confuse the investigators.
CM called me; Chief Secretary Mitha Lal Mehta was there. CM was obviously not happy that the place of hideout out had béen leaked and feared the kidnappers might shift elsewhere. I told him. they do not read the Times of India, but he was not satisfied and said they must have read in Canada too.
Same evening, at the same location, encounter took place in a house, Mirdha was literally thrown out by the militants from the backdoor when KLF terrorists started firings from 47 and 56. They freed the pet too to save Labrador from bullets.
Three bodies, including Khadian with huge cash and arms were shown to the CM. Shekhawat too me to the site in his ambassador car and asked in a happy mood, “you were right, but tell me who gave you the information.” He himself named a top police officer as the culprit, I kept silent. The officer later became union minister.
Bhairon Singh Ji was a leader with great mind and heart and unlike others with open mind. Now, his grandson( naati), is trying to carry his political legacy forward.
(The author is a senior journalist and has worked as Times of India correspondent based in Jaipur)
