JAIPUR: The politics over Jat votes is intensifying in Rajasthan which is due to go for Assembly elections in December. Apart from the demand for a caste census and increasing reservation of OBCs from 21 to 27 per cent, there is a growing chorus for a Jat CM in the state.
The community has a sizeable population in Rajasthan and exercises influence at over 40 Assembly seats. Govind Singh Dotasara and Satish Poonia, who head the state Congress and BJP units respectively, both hail from the Jat community.
In a Jat Mahakumbh held in Jaipur on Sunday, the leaders of both the major political parties were seen seeking the support and blessings of the society. Thousands of people from across the state participated in the event held at Vidyadhar Nagar Stadium.
The participants were in an excited mood. Flowers were showered over them from a helicopter and people were singing and performing folk dance. Both Dotasara and Poonia were present on the state, reflecting the importance of the community’s votes in the state. Both happen to be in the race to be their respective party’s chief ministerial candidates.
Addressing the participants at the rally, Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha chief Rajaram Meel gave a call for the next CM to be from the Jat community. He said that the community will vote for any party which implements this demand.
The event was also attended by former CM Vasundhara Raje’s son and MP Dushyant Singh, Union Minister Kailash Chowdhary, Sikar MP Sumedhanand Saraswati and all Jat ministers of the government.