In Rajasthan, rajputs proving to be a major hurdle for Vasundhara Raje’s re-election prospects 

Vasundhara Raje.

New Delhi: The Vasundhara Raje-led Bhartiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan faces an uphill task of wooing the disgruntled rajput community in the upcoming assembly elections. The relation between rajput community and the BJP has worsened over the years and the spoiled ties have become hurdle for Raje in the election. The rajput community comprises 12 per cent of total population of the state.

Giriraj Lotwara, the leader of Rajput Sabha, a rajput outfit, has recently declared that the community will oppose the BJP in the election. The Rajput Arkashan Manch, a rajput group which is fighting for reservations for the rajput community, also declared that it will oppose Raje in the election.

According to the leaders of the party, a series of events, including the encounter killing of prominent rajput figure and gangster Anandpal Singh, the “Padmaavat” movie controversy, and Raje’s opposition to appointment of rajput leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for the post of Union agriculture minister of state, led to the worsening relations between the rajputs and the BJP.

Meanwhile, Manvendra Singh, who is the son of a former Union minister and rajput stalwart from Rajasthan, Jaswant Singh, has recently joined the Congress after falling out with Raje over a range of issues.

The assembly polling in state for 200 seats will be held on December 7, 2018.

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