Social media in Rajasthan is abuzz with a video that allegedly shows a deepening divide within one of the region's most prominent political families: the household of the late senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Jaswant Singh.
The video reportedly captures an incident from last week at the family's Paota Road residence in Jodhpur, where Sheetal Kanwar, the widow of the former Foreign Minister, had a public standoff with her son, former MP and BJP leader Manvendra Singh Jasol.
The footage, which has not been independently verified by NDTV, shows a woman in a pale lavender dress engaged in a heated altercation with a man on the other side of a locked gate. The woman refuses to let the man enter, even as he asks to collect his belongings before leaving.
The final moments of the video reveal the man to be former Barmer MP Manvendra Singh. His mother, Sheetal Kanwar, who is believed to be the woman with her back to the camera, can be heard arguing with him in Marwari, saying, "I won't go in, and I won't let you in." Her grandson, Hamir Singh - Manvendra's son - stands beside her and appears to be trying to placate her, but she refuses to budge.
This family drama has gripped western Rajasthan, as it centers on the political legacy of Jaswant Singh, a nine-time MP and towering figure who served as India's Foreign and Finance Minister. Manvendra Singh has long been seen as the natural heir to his father's legacy, having represented Jaswant Singh's home constituency of Barmer as an MP and served as the MLA for Sheo.
However, a rift now threatens that political standing. Statements circulating on social media - though unverified by the family - suggest that Sheetal Kanwar, along with Manvendra's brother Bhupendra Singh, his son Hamir, and his daughter Harshini, have distanced themselves from Manvendra following a recent remarriage that allegedly took place without the family's consent.
The controversy comes just two years after the death of Manvendra's wife, Chitra Singh, who was killed in a tragic road accident on January 30, 2024. Manvendra and Hamir were also in the vehicle when it lost control on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Alwar; while both survived with injuries, Chitra Singh did not.
This alleged remarriage appears to be the primary bone of contention. When contacted, Manvendra Singh told NDTV that he did not wish to comment on the matter and has not issued any public statements regarding the controversy.
The tension has divided not only the family but also their political supporters and social media followers. While Manvendra Singh continues to attend public functions and meet with constituents, local party insiders say the rank and file are conflicted. Many consider it a private matter, yet the public nature of the standoff ensures the murmurs continue.
For a family that has dominated the politics of western Rajasthan for decades, the personal has now undeniably become public.
