Rajput leaders of BJP urge community to support party
The Hindu
Rajput leaders urge community to forgive BJP candidate, while core committee rejects appeal and vows not to support.
Two days before the voting in 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat is scheduled for May 7, Rajput leaders of the BJP have pleaded to the community to show a “large heart” and forgive the Union Minister and BJP candidate Parshottam Rupala for his utterances and “support and vote for the BJP” in the parliamentary polls for the “larger national cause.”
Sitting and former ministers and legislators have in their appeal urged the community members that their support is needed for the BJP for the “national interest.”
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At an election campaign meeting in March, Mr. Rupala remarked that erstwhile ‘maharajas’ (Kshatriya kings) had succumbed to foreign rulers like the British and forged family bonds with them. His comment set off protests by Kshatriya community members, who urged the BJP to withdraw the candidature of Mr. Rupala.
“Even BJP’s Kshatriya leaders and workers were hurt by Mr. Rupala’s remarks. In view of that, Mr. Rupala has apologised more than once. He has also urged the community to not punish Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his mistakes,” read the statement issued by the Gujarat BJP bearing signature of half a dozen leaders.
It has been signed by former ministers Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, I.K. Jadeja, Pradipsinh Jadeja, and Jaydrathsinh Parmar, and Labour and Employment Minister Balvantsinh Rajput.
The statement also bears the signatures of Rajkot royal family scion Mandhatasinh Jadeja, MLAs Kiritsinh Rana, C.K. Raulji and Arunsinh Rana and Rajya Sabha MP Kesridevsinh Zala.