People of the area, more akin to hearing tigers roar in the forests, on Sunday heard the roar of a more political tone! State BJP president Vasundhara Raje embarked on the third phase of her Suraj Sanklap Yatra.
In a hard-hitting attack on the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress Government, Raje criticised the dispensation roundly. After a puja at Ranthambore Fort, Raje addressed a meeting at Khandar.
She said people were eagerly waiting for the Assembly elections — to get over with a Government which is probably the most corrupt and non-performing Government ever.
During her eight-day yatra, Raje will address another two dozen large public meetings and about 150 roadside gatherings, according to Dingamber Singh, who is in charge of the yatra. She will cover over 20 Assembly constituencies in the process, he added.
Since the area is dominated by Gujjars and Meenas, Raje’s yatra will be focused on winning these two communities over. Though Gujjar Arakshan Sangharash Samiti supermo Col Kirori Singh Bainsla has said the samiti has nothing to do with this yatra, sources said a large number of his fellow community people are actively participating in Raje’s rallies.
Bainsla was BJP candidate for the lok Sabha in the last election, but lost.
The route of Raje’s yatra has been planned in such a way that it passes through Gujjar-dominated areas of Chhan and Kushari Darra. BJP leaders are also hopeful of winning back Meena votes.
After Kirori lal Meena left the party just before the 2008 Assembly elections, it cost the BJP heavy. Meena also damaged the chances of at least 10 BJP candidates in these elections. He has emerged as a strong leader of the community and launched his own National Peoples Party. He has also announced fielding of candidates on all seats in this area.
“Despite floating of his own party, influence of Kirori lal Meen has come down in the community. We are sure, Meenas would vote for BJP in the coming Assembly elections,” claims Satish Punia, general secretary of State BJP.
Suraj Sankalp Yatra will cover five districts — Sawai Madhopur, Dausa, Karauli, Dhaulpur and Bharatpur before concluding at Nadbai on May 12.