As the polling day for Rajasthan State Elections inching closer, the Karni Sena has decided to jump in the current electoral fight and set its eyes on ensuring the defeat of the ruling BJP in the state. The Rajput Group – Karni Sena first hit the headlines early this year for its violent protests against the release of the film Padmaavat.
Eyeing the 7 December Polls in the state, The Rajput Group is organizing Swabhiman Sammelans (self-respect conferences), and its chief, Lokendra Singh Kalvi, plans to visit 84 Assembly constituencies and all district headquarters in the coming days to urge people to vote out the BJP.
Considering the elections as a ‘Battle of Pride’, the Rajput group will seek to support the candidates who can turn the table against the ruling BJP.
While many local Rajputs say Karni Sena’s influence on the ground is quite limited and that it is primarily a move to get publicity, Mr. Kalvi says the group’s campaign will make a difference in the polls, mainly among Rajputs.
We have been BJP supporters to the extent of becoming slaves of the party,” he added.
A couple of days ago, the Sena chief was in Jhalrapatan, where Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is facing tough fight with the Congress’s Manvendra Singh. Mr. Singh, son of former Union Minister Jaswant Singh, recently switched over to the Congress from the BJP.
The biggest rally we addressed was there, with about 10,000 people attending,” Mr. Kalvi said. He added that while the Jhalrapatan contest is an issue of “Rajput pride”, they were aiming to mobilize like other communities too as Rajputs were not a large enough percentage of the population in the constituency, which is not far from Madhya Pradesh’s Scindia stronghold of Guna.
Mr. Kalvi said the Karni Sena had invited Firebrand Young Leader from Gujarat Hardik Patel to address a public meeting to influence the Patidars to support the Congress in Jhalrapatan and vote out BJP from the state.
It will be crucial to see how much difference Karni Sena can make in 7 December Polls. The counting of votes will take place on December 11 with other states assembly elections.
Also Read: Vasundhara Raje to face a battle of “Self Respect” in Jhalrapatan Seat