Gujjars kept Vasundhara Raje away from BJP's National Executive

New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) The Gujjar violence in Rajasthan forced Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to remain in the state and stay away from the two-day National Executive meeting which began here today.

BJP sources confirmed that Ms Raje and Rajasthan party unit head Om Mathur could not make it to the Executive because of the Gujjar agitation in the state.

Former Rajasthan BJP chief Mahesh Sharma, however, presented the state report about the party's preparedness for the coming assembly elections in the state. He admitted the Gujjar agitation had affected the poll preparations of the party and that no meeting or any other programme in this direction could be taken up in the past 15 days. The last party programme was organised on May 14 against the price rise, he added.

During the presentation of the state report by Mr Sharma, the sources said BJP General Secretary Vinay Katiyar wanted to speak on the ''mishandling'' of the Gujjar agitation but was not allowed. Every time he was told he would be given a chance later after Mr Sharma completed his presentation.

The sources said former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and party general secretary Gopinath Munde, who is party in charge of Rajasthan, would brief the meeting over the Gujjar agitation.

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