The ruling party in power, BJP, are on the defensive with the Kshatriya Community against Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, who had commented that the kings had bowed before the alien tormentors and retained relationships with them, unlike the lower castes, during an event organised by the Valmiki community on March 22. While Rupala has apologised on many occasions, the controversy is refusing to die down. Gujarat BJP President CR Patil had rushed to Rajkot for a damage control exercise, while Congress turncoat and former MLA from Gondal Jayrajsinh Jadeja held a conciliatory meeting of the community at his house in Gondal on Friday.
Eating a humble pie, Rupala went on to reiterate his apology with “folded hands” and said that while he does not remember withdrawing any of his comment in his entire life, this time his party (BJP) has come under criticism because of him.
However, his gesture or the party manoeuvre did precious little to douse the anger of the community and Gujarat Karni Sena Chief Raj Shekhawat on Saturday resigned from BJP’s primary membership calling the meeting at Gondal a BJP sponsored move. BJP veterans ET spoke to maintain that the controversy is likely to have some serious ramifications.
“On one hand Rupala’s comment may end up consolidating the Patidar votes but on the other, Kshatriya vote bank of the party may end up getting divided across the state,” said a senior veteran of the saffron family.
Sources in Congress maintain that the controversy would come handy for Congress in central Gujarat particularly in Anand where sitting MLA from Borsad and senior Congress leader Amit Chavda a Kshatriya is taking on BJP’s Mitesh Patel.Meanwhile a video has surfaced from Patan where the Patidar community members are seen taking oath in the name of their clan deities to vote for Congress candidate Chandanji Thakor as a retaliation for the alleged administrative excesses on the community during Patidar agitation. It may be mentioned here that during Patidar agitation before 2017 assembly polls, Thakor community also took to streets under Alpesh Thakor who went on to join Congress before firing refuge in BJP. The parallel agitations by Patidar and Thakor communities had reduced BJP’s assembly tally to double digits for the first time in two and a half decades in 2017.In another incident, while Sabarkantha has been more than restive after the initial BJP candidate Bhikhaji Thakor was replaced by Shobhna Baraiya wife of Mahendrasinh Baraiya former Congress MLA who joined BJP in August 2022 after controversy erupted over the caste identity of Bhikhaji Thakor, now tribal workers of BJP are upset over Idar MLA and senior BJP leader Ramanlal Bora for allegedly using abusive language words against district health committee chairman Anasuya Gameti when the workers were expressing their dissent against Baraiya’s candidature and sought a public apology from him.
In Surendranagar, the Talpada Kali community has been demanding a ticket for the community after sitting Mahendra Munjpara has been replaced by Chandu Sihora a former Congressman from Chuvaliya Koli community. (Chuvaliya and Talpada are sub communities of the greater Kali Community who have a sizeable presence across Gujarat). While several community leaders including former MP Soma Patel have thrown their hats in the ring, the community is now lobbying for a ticket from Congress from Surendra nagar.
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