BJP MLA Manvendra Singh, who is the son of ailing former Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, is expected to take decision on taking a political course “away from the BJP” on September 22 at Swabhiman Rally near Jaisalmer-Barmer.
Anticipating “rebellion” by the MLA, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje did not visit the Manvendra’s constituency during her Gaurav Yatra campaign for the upcoming Assembly poll in the State. The CM wrapped up the second leg of her Yatra on September 2 at Pachpadra in Jodhpur-Barmer district where Congress too held its rally.
Pachpadra, a town in Rajasthan’s Marwar region, has turned into a political testing ground for the BJP, the Congress. It has the influential Rajput community to which Manvendra belongs to and derives total support.
It is in Pachpadra that Manvendra seeks to hold show of strength in Swabhiman rally on September 22 and possibly make the major announcement about his political future. “The rally is to unite all beyond caste and community and self-respecting people, “ he said.
The rally planned as a counter by Rajputs against the Gaurav Yatra of the Chief Minister, according to sources, would be attended by people from “chhattees quom” (all communities) who would decide the final step to be taken by the former BJP MP and present MLA from Sheo.
According to sources, Manvendra is toying with the idea of either contesting Assembly poll as an Independent or to cross over to another party, like the Congress.
Manvendra, an erstwhile journalist, is reluctant to disclose his cards. The posters pasted around in the region have Jaswant as the main face and marked by the complete absence of BJP leaders.
“It is the rally of all respecting leaders who were disregarded by the BJP,” a political leader close to Jaswant said and pointed to “the total dissatisfaction” in the Rajput community against the BJP Government in the State.
A former member of Parliament from Barmer from 2004 to 209, Manvendra was sidelined and suspended from the primary membership of the party after he sought to campaign for his ‘rebel’ father contesting as an Independent from Barmer in 2014 Lok Sabha poll against the official party candidate Col Sonaram Choudhury . Manvendra was suspended for campaigning for his father which was later revoked by the part 2015.
Rajput have been disgruntled for some time and a reflection of it was when Rajput Karni Sena celebrated the loss of BJP in Madalgarh assembly and Ajmer and Alwar Lol Sabha seats bypolls early this year. Rajputs have also not been happy with Government for not doing enough to ban the controversial film ‘Padmavati’.