Jaipur princess joins BJP

Jaipur, Sept. 10: The princess has got a party.

Jaipur’s princess Diya Kumari has finally taken the plunge into politics, following in the footsteps of her late grandmother Gayatri Devi. The 43-year-old today formally joined the BJP before a two-lakh strong crowd at a rally addressed by Narendra Modi, who garlanded her.

“It was after considerable thought that I have made the conscious decision to join the BJP…. It was inspiring that I have joined the party in the august presence of Vasundhara Rajeji, Rajnath Singhji and Narendra Modiji,” Diya Kumari said. “My prime objective of coming into politics is for serving the people…. I shall do whatever the party high command considers the best for me.”

Observers said the BJP needed a youthful face, especially someone who has acceptability among the urbane class. Diya Kumari, who runs two schools, does charity work and just about graces every other social do in the city, fitted the bill. The princess, daughter of Bhawani Singh, Gayatri Devi’s stepson, also fills a vacuum for the BJP, which does not have any credible Rajput leader.

Diya Kumari’s grandmother, Jaipur’s last Maharani Gayatri Devi, ran for Parliament in 1962 and won from Jaipur, getting 192,909 of the 246,516 votes cast, a record margin that was confirmed by the Guinness World Records.