Manvendra may change equations
Even as speculation is rife over the political moves of BJP MLA Manvendra Singh who is organising a ‘Swabhiman Sammelan’ at Pachpadra in Barmer on Saturday, analysts said the event would create new caste equations in Rajasthan, especially Marwar, forcing the ruling party and the Congress to plan poll strategies with fresh calculations.
Manvendra, son of former union minister Jaswant Singh, had announced the ‘Swabhimaan Sammelan’ after chief minister Vasundhara Raje excluded his Sheo assembly constituency from her Gaurav Yatra itinerary.
Manvendra turned an opponent of Raje since 2014 when his father was denied a BJP ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. It has been alleged that Raje played a key role in refusing ticket to Jaswant Singh and bringing Colonel Sonaram Choudhary into the BJP. Choudhary defeated Jaswant, who contested as an independent, in the BarmerJaisalmer LS seat.
Shyam Rathi, a political observer, said that if Manvendra leaves the BJP and joins the Congress, it will help the opposition party in many ways.
Rajputs are considered the traditional vote bank of the BJP and Jats of the Congress.
“If Manvendra joins the Congress, the opposition party will make a dent in the BJP’s vote bank. Not only Rajputs, but many associated communities, such as Rawana Rajputs, Charans, Rajpurohits, and Prajapats, may shift towards the Con-
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gress,” Rathi said.
Manvendra has a good equation with Muslim voters, considered traditional supporters of the Congress.
“Muslims’ support to Manvendra helped the BJP’s lotus bloom in the Thar desert for the first time,” Rathi said.
“Manvendra got Muslim votes when he contested Lok Sabha elections and later the assembly poll. In 2013 he had defeated Congress candidate Amin Khan. Muslims had supported Jaswant during the 2014 general election.” He said, “If Manvendra joins the Congress, it will be easier for the Muslims to back him strongly.”
Political analyst Vijay Sharma has a different take, saying Manvendra’s entry into the Congress will not be a loss for the BJP. “Rajputs and Jats are traditional opponents. If Rajputs shifted towards the Congress with Manvendra, Jats, usually considered the Congress vote bank, may veer towards the BJP.”
He said BJP MP and Jat leader Sonaram Choudhary’s statement -- ‘two swords can’t remain in one scabbard -- indicated the mood of the Jats.