Rajasthan BJP faces exodus as 2 more quit

Jaipur: In just two weeks, three leaders from two dominant castes in Rajasthan politics have left the ruling BJP in Rajasthan. After Manvendra Singh’s exit, the BJP received two more jolts when two senior women leaders quit the party on Wednesday.

Former tourism minister Usha Poonia and former MLA Pratibha Singh on Wednesday said that they were leaving the BJP. Pratibha Singh is likely to join independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal’s party, which he is expected to announce on October 29.

However, Ms Poonia has made no disclosure of her plans. Both the leaders belong to dominating Jat community.

Ms Poonia was tourism minister in the previous Vasundhara Raje government from 2003 to 2008. However, she has been in wilderness after assembly elections in 2008, as her constituency became reserved in the delimitation exercise and she failed to secure ticket from a different seat. She belongs to a prominent political family from Nagaur, which is the hub of Jat politics in Rajasthan.

“The BJP has neglected me,” said Pratibha Singh who had left the Congress four years ago to join the BJP four years ago. She had won as independent from Nawalgarh in 2003, but lost two consecutive elections in 2008 and 2013.

Earlier, Manvendra Singh, MLA from Sheo and son of BJP’s founding member had quit the BJP on September 22. He is likely to join the Congress later this month. Four months ago Ghanshyam Tiwari who was party’s Brahmin face with roots in sangh, too had left the party to launch his own party.