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National

Raje proposes Assembly dissolution

Special Correspondent

Assembly polls are due in Rajasthan by this
year-end
Party working on strategy to secure non-Gujjar votes

NEW DELHI: A suggestion from Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje that she be allowed to dissolve the Assembly and submit the resignation of her government while recommending early polls has apparently not been cleared by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s top leaders Rajnath Singh and L.K. Advani.

Party sources here confirmed that such a proposal was sent by Ms. Raje, but the leadership is not yet certain what purpose it would serve.

Explaining the political reasons for this course of action, a party leader said the Assembly elections are due in the State by the end of this year.

Political strategy

Offering her resignation and recommending early polls would, therefore, in no way curtail the term of her government.

At the same time she could get some sympathy for taking the high moral ground.

Some senior party leaders have begun working on a political strategy that involves shunning the Gujjars, agitating for Scheduled Tribe status, and trying to consolidate the non-Gujjar (Jats, Meenas and upper castes) votes solidly behind the BJP.

“The Gujjars constitute roughly 5 to 8 per cent of the population in many constituencies. They are numerically weaker than the Meenas or the Jats,” a senior leader said. The danger, however, in this strategy, party leaders admit, is that it could lead to an all-out war between the Gujjars and other castes, especially Meenas who come under the Scheduled Tribe category.

Ms. Raje’s resignation — she would normally be asked by the Governor to continue in office till fresh elections are held — may satisfy the Gujjars and help them call off their agitation.

The BJP could then use the few months ahead of the polls to send out the message that the Raje government remained firm against the Gujjar demand in order to garner the support of the other castes opposed to the demand.

Mounting tension

Reports from Rajasthan indicate that tensions between Gujjars and Meenas have already built up.

In a fresh round of firing on Friday, two more protesters were killed taking the total number of dead to more than 40 in eight days of violence and several incidents of police firing.

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