Amidst protests by Rajputs over his controversial remarks, the Union Minister Parshottam Rupala on April 16 filed his nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Rajkot parliamentary constituency.
Mr. Rupala was accompanied by several leaders including Kesridevsinh Jhala, BJP Rajya Sabha member and member of erstwhile princely family of Wankaner. His grandfather was a Union Minister in Indira Gandhi government.
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Before filing the papers, he addressed a large gathering in which he yet again urged the Rajput community members to “show large heart and support the BJP.”
So far, he has already apologised twice but it has not cut ice with the Kshatriyas or descendants of the formerly ruling families who are demanding his removal as the party candidate — a demand that has been rejected by the BJP.
However, immediately after Mr Rupala filed his papers, PT Jadeja, a key player in organising the protests stressed that “Mr Rupala had no backing of Rajput or Kshatriya community.”
Show of strength
After a massive show of strength by the Rajputs in which over one lakh people were present in a congregation in Rajkot on Sunday, the top brass of BJP have intensified their efforts to resolve the crisis ahead of the general elections.
On Monday late night, a meeting was held between the community leaders who are coordinating with more than 75 different castes groups and Gujarat BJP leaders at the Chief Minister’s residence which lasted till 3 a.m. but failed to break the impasse.
“We have again conveyed our demand for Parshottam Rupala’s removal. This demand is non-negotiable,” said Karansinh Chavda, a core committee member from Rajputs.
From the BJP side, besides Chief Minister and the State BJP chief, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sabghavi and a few Kshatriya leaders were present in the meeting and they have again invited the representatives of the Rajputs to hold another round of meeting in next day or two.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be launching his campaign for Gujarat from April 22 from Rajkot and the party wants to resolve this issue before the PM’s rally,” sources from the party said.
In the mammoth congregation held in Rajkot on Sunday, the Rajputs have said that if Mr Rupala does not opt out from the electoral race by 19th April, last day of withdrawal of the nomination in Gujarat which goes for the polling on May 7th, another mega rally will be organised in Ahmedabad.
“We will wait till April 19 and the decide to launch the agitation or the protest,” Mr Chavda said. In Ahmedabad on Tuesday; the coordination committee of the Rajputs briefed media persons about their next round of protests the community has planned across the state.
“We will now go for boycott of BJP if Mr Rupala is not removed by April 19th. The Kshatriya or Rajputs will hold protest against BJP in every village of the state,” a release issued by the committee stated.
