Jaipur, Oct. 13 -- Senior BJP leader and former Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore took centre stage at the launch of former state president and BJP Haryana in-charge Satish Poonia's new book, Agnipath Nahi Janpath, on Sunday, humorously describing Rajasthan politics as a "game of snakes and ladders, where sometimes the snake bites just when you are close to the top." Rathore added with a smile, "Satish ji, the snake bit us both when we were extremely close to the seat of power." Leader of Opposition and state Congress leader, Tikaram Jully, also present as a chief guest, responded in jest, saying he would later find out which "snake" had bitten them. Rathore continued the humour, saying, "Now Satish ji is writing books and I am writing articles. Once I complete 51 articles, I too will publish a book-but the condition is, you must bring me on stage with Gulab ji for the launch." Rathore praised former Assembly speaker Dr CP Joshi for maintaining dialogue and decorum in the House and acknowledged the state government's COVID-19 health management under then-chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Reacting to the event, Tikaram Jully said the program, though intended to be non-political, saw the "game of snakes and ladders unfolding right before our eyes." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Madan Rathore also joked that he too had been "bitten by a snake" within the party. Satish Poonia, reflecting on his political journey, said, "There's a common perception that politicians are not well-read. I wanted to change that image." On his debut book, 'Agnipath Nahi Janpath', Poonia told those present at the event that the book was based on his experiences as an MLA, covering themes of public service, struggle, dialogue, and organizational work. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, who was the chief guest, emphasized that true leaders are defined by their service to the people, not their positions, saying, "Positions may change, but the identity of a true worker never fades." He also emphasized that victory or defeat does not define a person's legacy. "Even great leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee lost elections, but their legacy lives on. What matters is the identity a person builds as a public servant." Kataria urged legislators to make effective use of the Assembly and Parliament floor and maintain honesty. "If the heart and mind of democracy are not functioning properly, democracy itself will suffer. This is our responsibility," he said. The governor also described the tradition of running around transfer requests in the Secretariat as detrimental to democracy....