Ajmer turf: BJP, Cong face 'demanding' Gujjars, Rajputs

Political parties seem to have been caught between the devil and the deep blue sea here—one wrong step may impact the poll prospects of even the national players.

Political parties seem to have been caught between the devil and the deep blue sea here—one wrong step may impact the poll prospects of even the national players.

In fact, Ajmer has a strong presence of Rajput and Gujjar communities both want their pound of flesh from the BJP and the Congress. The communities have threatened not to support the party which doesn’t fulfil what they want.

Gurjjars are demanding a clearcut stand of the government over their 5% Extremely Backward Community (ECB) quota while the Rajputs have demanded 2 MLA seats out of eight for the community.

Dev Sena, claimed to be the largest active group of the Gujjar community, has threatened if the government failed to take a concrete decision on their 5% EBC quota demand before the model code of conduct is enforced, the Gujjars will not vote for the Congress. “If the present government wants our support then it has to announce its stand on quota issue before the dead line,” said Gyan Singh Gujjar, state president of Dev Sena. “With a network in over 25 districts of the state we can disturb the power equation in the state,” claimed the Gujjars. With over 20% plus voters in about 35 assembly seats in the states Gujjars have power to pull out the carpet from below the government, he claimed.

Meanwhile, in a meeting of the Rajput community held here in Kundan Nagar area, the community elders decided to support the party which would give two MLA berths in the district to the community. “We warn both the parties not to underestimate our strength, claimed Indrajeet Singh Bagawas, a youth community leader. With over 2, 50000 strong community in the district, we have a power to block the candidates of the party from reaching to Vidhan Sabha which tired to ignore our claim, said Sumer Singh Shaktawat Vice President Rajput Karni Sabha.