Newly Coronated Mewar Maharana, BJP MLA Vishvaraj Singh, Denied Entry Into Udaipur Palace Over Property Disputes

Udaipur witnessed a royal dispute on Monday (25 November) following the coronation of BJP MLA Vishvaraj Singh Mewar as the 77th Maharana of Mewar as he was not allowed to enter Udaipur's City Palace.

Tensions escalated when his cousin, Dr Lakshay Raj Singh Mewar, blocked his entry into the City Palace, which is managed by a trust led by Vishvaraj's uncle, Arvind Singh Mewar, NDTV reported.

The confrontation at the palace gates turned violent as the day progressed, with stone-pelting and clashes between the MLA’s supporters and those inside the palace. Police intervened to control the situation, and three people were reportedly injured.

Reports indicate that Vishvaraj Singh, the BJP MLA from Nathdwara and husband of Rajsamand MP Mahima Kumari, remained at the site with his supporters for five hours. The district administration has stepped in to address the escalating tensions.

The coronation, held at Chittorgarh Fort's Fateh Prakash Palace, followed the death of Vishvaraj’s father, Mahendra Singh Mewar. The traditional ceremony included rituals dating back centuries, with Vishvaraj’s raj tilak performed using blood by an erstwhile noble.

However, after the ceremony, Vishvaraj was denied entry into the Dhooni Mata temple inside the Udaipur palace, leading to the unrest, due to ongoing legal and familial disputes over the management of royal properties, including palaces, temples, and forts.

The City Palace and its associated temples are managed by trusts established in 1984 when Bhagwat Singhji, the former Maharana of Mewar, appointed his younger son, Arvind Singh, as the director, sidelining his elder son, Mahendra Singh.

The Maharana Mewar Charitable Trust issued a notice in local newspapers, stating that entry to trust properties would not be allowed to prevent any attempt at trespass or damage.

The ongoing conflict has brought longstanding family disputes into the public eye, with tensions expected to continue in Udaipur, while the property dispute is under consideration in the Rajasthan High Court.