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Congress dares BJP with Jat-Rajput combo in Barmer

Sheo MLA says The decision to quit BJP was not just his own but that of entire ‘Swabhimaan Sena’

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From left Above: Former BJP MP Manvendra Singh flanked by PCC chief Sachin Pilot and Harish Choudhary in New Delhi; Choudhary driving Singh to AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday.; (Right) Rao Rajendra Singh, the deputy speaker in the Assembly, addressing a press conference in Jaipur on Wednesday.
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Manvendra Singh, son of former external minister Jaswant Singh, who quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by saying ‘Kamal Ka Phool, Hamari Bhool’ last month, has finally joined the Congress in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi, in New Delhi, on Wednesday.

With the entry of Manvendra in the Congress fold, the party has found a strong Rajput face in Marwar region and with it, Congress also eyes political gains in the area where Jats are the traditional voters of the Congress.

The Jasol Tikhana, which Manvendra represents, has huge acceptance in the Marwar belt. Apart from the Rajputs, Sindhi and Muslim communities too cherish a special bond with the family and thus Congress is confident to reap the benefits politically, in the upcoming elections to improve its prospects.

Manvendra has been raising the issue of ‘Asmita and Swabhiman’ to mobilise the Rajput community and it is much likely that he would dent the poll prospects of the BJP against which reportedly anti-incumbency is at its peak.

The Anandpal Singh encounter, Samrao violence, alleged disrespect to Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union agriculture minister, by the state BJP leadership, which had protested his projection as state BJP president, are a few important factors along with Swabhimaan mission, that might make Manvendra help the Congress improve its tally in the region. 

In 2013 Assembly election, BJP won six out of seven seats of Barmer district.

Apart from this the Congress is relying on the Jat-Rajput combination, to sweep Barmer-Jaisalmer area along with Jodhpur, Nagaur, Pali and Jalore districts, in which large number of seats are dominated by these two castes.
Though, it would be interesting to see how Manvendra will cope with Harish Choudhary, former Barmer-Jaisalmer MP and AICC secretary, who, being a Jat leader, wields a considerable influence in the area.

Choduhary, an ambitious leader, has been a power centre in the area in the absence of any strong leader here and is the lone figure from the belt who has direct links with Rahul Gandhi. Now, with Manvendra embracing the Congress, two power centres are likely to be created here. The belt has had deeply rooted caste rift, particularly between Jats and Rajputs.

Choudhary plans to contest Assembly elections from Baytu. What if he is kept reserved by the Congress for Lok Sabha elections? Will party dump him and give ticket to Manvendra for Lok Sabha from Barmer-Jaisalmer seat, or the latter will be shifted to Jodhpur, which he would not like.

Last year, there was a caste tussle between Jats and Rajput over Varmaram murder and both Manvendra Singh and Harish Choudhary had openly extended their support to the castes they belonged too. 

So, till Assembly election, now with Manvendra in the Congress fold the party seems to be in an advantageous state.

‘It Is Political Opportunism’

Rao Rajendra Singh the deputy speaker in the Assembly said that Manvendra Singh is already suspended from the BJP over charges of indiscipline. Taking the membership of Congress is an act of political opportunism on part of Manvendra, said Rao while speaking at a press conference in Jaipur on Wednesday. He said Manvendra was suspended from the party for canvassing in support of his father Jaswant Singh who had rebelled against the party candidate in Lok Sabha elections of 2014. Rao said that it is an insult to the hard work of thousands of party workers who had toiled hard to make Manvendra MLA and MP. He added that party had give respect to Jaswant Singh by making him Union minister and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha.

 

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