Rajasthan Election 2023: Sadhvi Anadi Saraswati resigns from BJP, joins Congress ahead of polls

Rajasthan election 2023: Sadhvi Anadi Saraswati, considered the face of Hindutva in Rajasthan, joined the Congress party on Thursday in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state party in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

The Congress is considering fielding Sadhvi Saraswati from the Ajmer North constituency, possibly against Vasudev Devnani. Sadhvi, who quit BJP before joining the Congress, said earlier this month that she sought a ticket from the seat and also held talks with the saffron party’s central leadership in this regard.

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Sadhvi Saraswati’s decision to resign from the primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a day earlier raised eyebrows. In her resignation letter addressed to BJP President JP Nadda and Rajasthan State President CP Joshi, she cited “unavoidable reasons.”

There is speculation that her resignation was driven by a desire to contest the elections from the North Assembly seat in Ajmer on a BJP ticket, and her discontent with not receiving this opportunity ultimately led her to join the Congress.

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Upon joining the Congress, Sadhvi Saraswati mentioned her identity as a saint and stated her unwavering commitment to serving humanity, while expressing her gratitude to the Chief Minister for extending a respectful welcome to her within the party.

‘Only goal to serve humankind’

After joining Congress, Sadhvi Anadi Saraswati said, “I think I am identified as a saint in the whole society. A saint is above any party politics. And a saint thinks of the Sanatan Dharma and the whole world as his family. His only goal is to serve humankind. A saint does not require a stage,he is only focused on working… I want to thank the CM that he joined me to the party with respect…”

Notably, Sadhvi Saraswati had earlier said that she considers Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath as her inspiration in public service and also lauded his leadership in ridding Uttar Pradesh of its ‘Mafia Raj’. Speaking to the media last month, Sadhvi said that she would continue to serve the party and organisation even if the party denies her a ticket.

A resident of Ajmer, Sadhvi Saraswati is a post-graduate in sociology and also runs a non-profit organisation called Swami Anadi Saraswati Chiti Sandhan Yog. An emphatic orator, Sadhvi Saraswati also commands a huge following on social media which she uses to communicate on issues of spirituality and science.

The Rajasthan Assembly Elections are slated for November 25, with the vote count scheduled for December 3. The elections are expected to be shaped by anti-incumbency sentiments, setting the stage for a direct contest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).