Rajkot, Apr 24 (PTI) Leaders of the Kshatriya community on Friday announced that they would organise four `mahasammelans’ or mega gatherings in Gujarat ahead of the May 7 polling for the Lok Sabha elections to protest the BJP’s decision not to cancel the candidature of Parshottam Rupala from Rajkot.
The Kshatriya community, also known as Rajputs, is angry with Rupala for his statement at a rally about former rulers collaborating with the British and other foreign invaders and maintaining “roti and beti” (breaking-bread and marriage) relations with them.
Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, Rajput Coordination Committee spokesperson Karansinh Chavda said their aim was to defeat the BJP in at least ten seats where Rajputs are in considerable number.
Rajputs have a sizable presence in Rajkot, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Sabarkantha, Mehsana and Bharuch.
“Ahead of the voting day, we will organise four mega gatherings next month to reach out to people to ensure defeat of BJP candidates. We will start with a gathering of the Kshatriya community at Visnagar on April 27, followed by one in Bardoli on April 28, in Anand town on May 1 and in Jamnagar on May 2,” said Chavda.
After the Jamnagar gathering, the community will focus more on Rajkot and try to defeat Rupala by taking along other communities, he added.
“This fight is about the self-respect of all women, not just Rajput women. In Rajkot district, our members have already established offices at ward, taluka and village levels and started organising small gatherings to convince voters of other communities to support us,” Chavda said.
As announced earlier, `Dharm Raths’ or vehicles with posters were flagged off in Rajkot, Dwarka, Kutch, Jamnagar and Surendranagar districts on Wednesday, said president of the coordination committee Ramjubha Jadeja.
“We are taking our fight to the common people through these Dharm Raths. These vehicles will roam around the state to garner support of other communities,” Jadeja said. PTI COR PJT KRK
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