Jaipur
The community that had stood by the BJP for decades has made its displeasure obvious and played a crucial role in influencing the results in all the three seats.
Updated : Feb 02, 2018, 06:15 AM IST
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Results of the bypolls in Rajasthan have put forth a new face from the Brahmin community. The community that had stood by the BJP for decades has made its displeasure obvious and played a crucial role in influencing the results in all the three seats. The Brahmin community can influence the electoral fate in over 50 seats.
The feeling of being ignored, set aside and regaled to the background with no share in power or on senior administrative posts served to create a situation where the BJP lost the community’s support. BJP’s move of not giving ticket to party loyalist Sanjay Sharma in Alwar and Congress fielding Raghu Sharma in Ajmer served as major catalysts that caused Brahmins to move away from the BJP. The malaise spread to Mandalgarh where Brahmins who make up thelargest vote share were upset with the BJP for giving ticket to a Rajput. “We have faced tremendous resentment from the Brahmin community on all three seats and their anger was palpable, honestly quite uncharacteristic,” said a senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity.
BJP’s effort of inducting Brahmins who do not belong to its cadre base also boomeranged this time. “I have worked for the BJP for 40 years. The Brahmin leaders I see today are all imports with no mass base or acceptability. We cannot be forced to accept them,” said a senior BJP worker in Ajmer. “Jat and Rajput appeasement was a sore point for the Brahmins, who openly raised issues like sidelining three Brahmin ministers in state cabinet. Also, there are no Brahmins from Rajasthan in the Union cabinet. BJP insiders feel the resentment has been stoked by veteran leader Ghanshyam Tiwari who successfully managed to project his differences with Raje. Speaking to DNA, Tiwari said, “Brahmins are upset with BJP over EBC reservation. Their support base in the urban areas has eroded.” But this new aspect of Brahmin mobilization seen in these bypolls definitely adds a new chapter to their tale.
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