MLA Bhadel walks out of BJP meet, says ‘no place for me’

Ajmer: A BJP meeting chaired by deputy chief minister Diya Kumari here on Tuesday went off the rails when party MLA and former minister Anita Bhadel walked out of it, and did not return even after party members, including MLA Shatrughan Gautam, rushed out behind her to ask her to come back. Before she left the room, Bhadel went to BJP’s in-charge for Ajmer Lok Sabha seat, Biram Singh, and was heard saying, “When those who worked against me during elections are in the meeting, then there is no place for me here,” said BJP sources.The meeting had been called at the newly constructed BJP office at Bhunabai on Jaipur Road and deputy CM Diya Kumari had come specially to chair it along with Biram Singh. Things, however, took an unexpected turn when the vice president of BJP’s Ajmer city unit, Gheesu Gadwal, was asked to address the meeting. At this announcement, Bhadel rose from her seat and went to Biram Singh to convey her objection and anger. She then went to Diya Kumari and was seen saying something in her ear, for a few seconds, before walking out of the room. A party source said, “That was not expected in the meeting and things heated up as Bhadel walked out. Later, Gadwal was asked to continue with his speech.”The source added that Bhadel without talking to anyone sat in her car and went away. When contacted by TOI, Bhadel said, “This is a matter between me and the party and I will bring it up before senior party members. Newspapers will not solve this.” When asked to comment on the presence of Gadwal, she only said, “Let the party decide.” After the meeting, Diya Kumari told the media, “I have no knowledge about such an incident. The meeting was good and we interacted with members of the party and received good feedback.”Gadwal, though, did react to Bhadel’s action, and told reporters, “Yes, we had opposed giving the ticket to Anita Bhadel in the assembly election, but when she got the ticket, we worked for the party.” He added, “I am a worker of BJP for the past 40 years and BJP is like my mother. I have never worked against the party and I do not know why Bhadel showed her anger against me.”