Rajput splinter group softens stand on BJP

Two days after the BJP suffered a rout in three by-elections in Rajasthan, Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena hinted at a reconciliation with the ruling party.

“The organisation’s opposition to BJP was till the recent by-elections,” outfit’s head Sukhdev Singh Gogamedhi said in a press conference here on Saturday. The outfit is a splinter group of Shri Rajput Karni Sena.

Asked whether the opposition to the BJP will continue, Gogamedhi said the decision would be taken collectively at a meeting of community leaders.

He was part of Lokendra Singh Kalvi’s Shri Rajput Karni Sena, but later defected to form his own outfit.

A week ago, Gogamedhi had slammed the BJP, saying the party followed a policy of duplicity and befooled Rajputs. The state government going to court seeking a ban on ‘Padmaavat’ was a sham as the Centre could have banned the film using powers given under the Cinematograph Act, he said.

The Karni Sena leader’s tone towards the ruling party saw a marked shift. “The BJP’s door is still open for all the organisations of Rajputs,” Gogamedhi said. He added that that BJP was their home.

“If the party fulfils all our demands, then all the (Rajput) organisations can come together and meet (to decide) to return home ... but not now,” said the 44-year-old Karni Sena leader.

Earlier, Gogamedhi had said the BJP’s role in the issue surrounding ‘Padmaavat’ would prove to be a reason for its defeat in the bypolls. On Saturday, he said other issues, such as demolition of temples in the state, cows dying in shelters, Anandpal ‘fake’ encounter, were also responsible for its defeat. He added that all communities, including Charans, Brahmins and Rajputs, collectively defeated the BJP.

On the day poll results were announced, Gogamedhi shared dais with other Rajput leaders who said a fitting response was given to the BJP’s “oppressive policies” towards the community by the Rajput, Ravana Rajput and Charan Sangharsh Samiti in the bypolls. Some Rajput leaders had openly appealed to the people to vote against the BJP prior to the bypolls.

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