The Rajasthan BJP was left red-faced on Wednesday after an ugly war of words erupted between two senior BJP leaders in Jaipur over giving entry to some party workers at an event organised for NDA's Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena Meena could be seen slamming Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore for not giving entry to some party leaders and workers from the tribal belts of the state. In response, Rathore advised Meena to mind his tone.
The war of words between the two leaders went on for some time before Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat intervened and pacified the two parties.
At the reception programme for Draupadi Murmu in Hotel Clarks Amer, entry was given only to those leaders who carried valid passes.
Meena had arrived for the programme along with some leaders and workers from the tribal belts. When the workers accompanying him were stopped at the entry gate, they got angry.
Meena then intervened and took the tribal leaders inside. Some leaders were seen carrying the BJP flag. Seeing this, Shekhawat and Rathore asked them to leave the flags outside. Shekhawat also advised them not to raise slogans in favour of BJP. After this a heated argument broke out between Meena and Rathore.
Soon after the video of the incident went viral, the two leaders explained the situation and ensured that all is well between them.
Meena tweeted, "It was natural for an emotional person like me to get angry when the tribal workers, who came to Jaipur from Dungarpur-Banswara and other remote areas to felicitate NDA's Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu, did not get entry into the programme. I put forth the suffering of my tribal brothers and sisters in front of Rajendra Rathore.
"If you don't share your problems with your loved ones, whom would you tell? There is no question of any difference of opinion with my brother Rajendra Rathore."
Rathore on his part said, "The video has been presented in a wrong way. Me and Kiroriji have been friends for the last 30 years, and we are more like brothers. He presented his thoughts to me as a brother."
Meanwhile, state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra shared the video and quipped that everyone is claiming to be fit for the CM's chair and hence are throwing mud on each other and roaring, raising infighting in the party.
They are least worried about the people, he said.