Two weeks after severing ties with the Congress, the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) on Wednesday announced withdrawal of support to the ruling party in Rajasthan over the issue of the latter allegedly blocking the election of a BTP-backed independent candidate to the post of Zila Pramukh in Dungarpur during the recent panchayat body polls.
BTP State president Velaram Ghogra said in Dungarpur that the party would shortly send letters to the Governor and the Assembly Speaker informing them of the withdrawal of support. A miffed BTP’s executive took the decision to snap the alliance with Congress at a meeting held earlier this week.
As an ally of the ruling Congress, the BTP had earlier voted for the Congress’ candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections held in June this year and backed Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot during the political turmoil in the next months. BTP MLAs Rajkumar Roat and Ram Prasad supported the Congress during the confidence vote on the floor of the State Assembly on August 14.
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The BTP, established in neighbouring Gujarat in 2017, entered the electoral fray in Rajsthan in 2018 and won two Assembly seats — Chorasi and Sagwara — in Dungarpur district. The party has started wielding a considerable influence in the tribal-dominated regions of southern Rajasthan.
Mr. Ghogra said the BTP had extended support to Congress with a 17-point agenda, including the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution’s Fifth Schedule on the administration of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes. “No demand of tribals has been fulfilled. The Congress leaders fighting among themselves have joined hands with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) to finish regional parties,” he said.
The BTP’s withdrawal of support will not affect the stability of the Congress government in the State, as the ruling party has 105 MLAs in the 200-member Assembly and enjoys the support of 13 Independents. The BTP has only two seats in the House.
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In the panchayat body elections held in four phases, the BTP-backed Independents won 13 of the 27 seats in Dungapur Zila Parishad, while the BJP and Congress won eight and six seats, respectively. The rival Congress and BJP came together to defeat BTP candidate Parwati Doda and voted for Surya Ahari, a BJP member who had contested as an Independent.
The BTP needed just one vote from its ally Congress for helping Ms. Doda reach the majority mark of 14 and get elected as Zila Pramukh. The Congress’ failure to support the BTP resulted in the victory of the BJP despite the Opposition party winning just eight seats.