Sheo MLA Manvendra quits BJP, says ‘kamal ka phool, badi bhool’
CLOSE TO THE CHEST Former Union minister Jaswant Singh’s son was evasive on his joining Cong BARMER: I have not talked to the Congress leadership nor am I joining the Congress on Sunday, as is being speculated
Ahead of assembly elections in Rajasthan, Bharatiya Janata Party legislator and former union minister Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh quit the BJP on Saturday, saying his joining the party was a mistake.
“Kamal ka phool, badi bhool (choosing the lotus flower was a big mistake),” the Sheo MLA said, while addressing his ‘Swabhiman’ (self-respect) rally at Pachpadra in Barmer district.
Though Manvendra did not announce from the dais that he was quitting the BJP, he later said he had resigned from the party.
BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said the state party president had not yet received resignation from Manvendra.
The Sheo MLA was evasive on his joining the Congress. “I have not talked to the Congress leadership nor am I joining the Congress on Sunday, as is being speculated.”
Congress sources said national general secretary (organisation) Ashok Gehlot and state president Sachin Pilot have been in touch with Manvendra. They have also taken feedback from local Congress leaders on whether Manvendra’s joining will help the party in Barmer. The opposition party hopes that joining of the Sheo MLA will dent the BJP’s Rajput votes.
At the rally, Swabhiman Sena leaders asked the gathering about Manvendra’s future course of action; the crowd loudly told him to join the Congress. The Sheo MLA said he would accept the people’s verdict.
Manvendra’s ties with chief minister Vasundhara Raje have been strained since 2014 when Jaswant Singh was denied a BJP ticket for Lok Sabha polls.
It is alleged that Raje played a role in ticket denial to Jaswant who had contested as an independent.
Raje had excluded Manvendra’s constituency Sheo from her Gaurav Yatra itinerary. After that he announced his Swabhiman rally and launched a campaign parallel to Raje’s yatra.
Addressing the gathering, Manvendra said, “In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Barmer was a big political centre; again in 2018 people across the state, country and even world are eyeing Barmer.”
He said, “In 2018 someone has taken out Gaurav Yatra and some others have carried out Sankalp Rally, but Swabhiman Rally was the biggest and successful of all rallies.”
Manvendra said his Swabhiman campaign started due to the developments during the 2014 general elections.
“People wanted me to reveal what had happened in 2014. Now the time has arrived. During the 2014 elections, one day at 12.30pm the then Gujarat chief minister and present prime minister, Narendra Modi, had called me and said that we have old relations. I know Modi since I was a journalist,” he said.
“Modi told me that whatever has happened is wrong and I have nothing to do with it. Modi said that he was not present in the meeting in which decision was taken to refuse ticket to Jaswant. Modi also revealed that the persons behind refusal of ticket to Jaswant included a person from Jaipur and two from Delhi. I need not take their names,” Manvendra said.
“I had requested Modi can he do something in this regard, to which Modi said now nothing is in his hands and suggested me to keep patience.”
Manvendra said his self-respect got hurt during the 2014 elections. “After that too several incidents like the Chatur Singh killing and Anandpal encounter had taken place but leaders failed to react. Patience has crossed limits because nobody listened to us.”
After the meeting, people carried Manvendra on their shoulders from the stage. This created commotion and police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the mob, in which a person was injured. Police later sent Manvendra in a car to his village Jasol.
During the meeting, people were heard shouting ‘Kamal ka phool, hamari bhool and Congress zindabad’.
Manvendra’s wife Chitra Singh attacked Raje. She said, “Due to arrogance of people in power, our swabhiman woke up… We will show Raje that she stays in power only for two months and it is our oath to uproot her.”
Rajput leaders Giriraj Singh Lotawara, Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, Hanuman Singh Khangta, and former BJP state organisation secretary Swaroop Singh Rathore were present at the meeting.
In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Barmer was a big political centre; again in 2018 people across the state, country and even world are eyeing Barmer