Talks with Gujjars satisfactory: BJP

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expressed satisfaction as its government in Rajasthan held the fourth round of talks with Gujjars demanding Scheduled Tribe status Saturday afternoon.

BJP party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad described the meeting in Jaipur as a major progress. The party has sent Rajasthan in-charge Gopinath Munde along with Ananth Kumar to assist Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

He also added that the state unit is bringing the situation under control. Rajasthan has witnessed violence since Tuesday when a road blockade programme announced by the Gujjars to press for their demand turned violent and 14 people were killed in clashes between agitators and police.

By Friday evening, the toll had reached 25 though no untoward incidents were reported Saturday till evening.

The BJP core committee on Saturday noon held a meeting at the residence of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and discussed the crisis in Rajasthan.

The meting, chaired by Vajpayee, was attended by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh and party president Rajnath Singh among others.

Emerging from the meeting, Rajnath Singh told reporters, "I have spoken to Vasundhraji. She said she is making all efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the state."

Prasad also denied any demand by any BJP leader to replace the Rajasthan chief minister.