Why Kirori Singh Bainsla, face of Gujjar agitation, is a shot in the arm for BJP

Last month, Bainsla and his supporters began their sit-in on the railway tracks in Malarna Dungar area of Sawai Madhopur district on February 8, demanding 5 per cent quota for Gujjar, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and Gadaria communities in jobs and education. He called off the protest after a written assurance from the Rajasthan government that it will stand by them if the bill giving 5 per cent reservation to the community faces legal hurdles.

New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar shares a light moment with Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and and his son Vijay Bainsla during a press conference after they joined BJP, ahead of Lok Sabha polls, in New Delhi, Wednesday, April 10, 2019. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: A day before the commencement of  Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party received a shot in the arm with the joining of Gurjar quota agitation leader Kirori Singh Bainsla.  The 82-year-old wields enormous influence among his community members and his entry will give the saffron party a massive boost to win over influential leaders in Rajasthan where it had lost assembly polls. Bainsla and his son Vijay Bainsla met BJP president Amit Shah and announced their decision to join the party at press conference in the presence of Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who is handling his party's election affairs in the western state. "I have seen rarest of rare qualities in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that's why I am joining the BJP. The country needs his leadership," Kirori Singh Bainsla said, adding that he is inspired by Modi's working style. Recently, Jat leader Hanuman Beniwal had also joined the BJP and merged his regional party with it. The BJP has fielded him from Nagaur. The BJP is considering fielding Bainsla or his son from a Lok Sabha seat, sources said. Bainsla said he has been close to chief ministers of both parties -- the BJP and the Congress -- and had seen their ideologies. "After seeing two parties closely, I am joining the BJP," he said. Javadekar said with each passing day, the BJP is emerging stronger in Rajasthan and win all 25 Lok Sabha seats. Bainsla was earlier in the BJP as well and had fought the 2009 Lok Sabha polls on its ticket but lost. He has been spearheading the quota agitation. Kirori Singh Bainsla is a former Indian Army colonel and has served in the Rajputana Rifles. He had a decade ago planned to launch his own political outfit.  He had in the past accused both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress of cheating his largely shepherd community. Gurjars - who number over 50 million, live mostly in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Bainsla's protests demanding reservation have in the past crippled rail and road traffic in large parts of western and northern India & caused severe inconvenience to travellers. Last month, Bainsla and his supporters began their sit-in on the railway tracks in Malarna Dungar area of Sawai Madhopur district on February 8, demanding 5 per cent quota for Gujjar, Raika-Rebari, Gadia Luhar, Banjara and Gadaria communities in jobs and education. He called off the protest after a written assurance from the Rajasthan government that it will stand by them if the bill giving 5 per cent reservation to the community faces legal hurdles. The Rajasthan Assembly has passed a bill giving 5 per cent quota in government jobs and educational institutes to the Gujjars and four other agitating communities. The BJP had won all 25 seats in the 2014 general election in Rajasthan. However, its defeat in the assembly polls raised questions as to whether the party will be able to put up a strong show in the state in the coming elections. (With additional information from Agencies)