2 BJP MLAs suspended 20 others cautioned through letters

Jaipur, June 10 (UNI) The ruling Bharatiya Janta Party(BJP) has suspended two of its sitting MLAs-Prahlad Gunjal and Attar Singh Bhadana-and cautioned 20 others, including three ministers, for their casteist stand during the Gujjar agitation for inclusion of the community into Scheduled Tribe category.

While Mr Gunjal and Mr Bhadana were suspended from the party for their failure to oppose a resolution adopted by a Gujjar meet in Kota yesterday against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. 20 party MLAs -four from Gujjar community including a minister and 16 from Meena community including three ministers--were served with letter of warning for exhibiting casteist stand during the agitation.

BJP state president Mahesh Sharma today ordered the suspension of the two legislators for their ignorance about the Gujjar meet resolution which had asked the community of Jhalawar district to vote against Ms Raje in her Jhalrapatan assembly constituency in the district during the next assembly elections due to be held by the end of 2008.

Dr Sharma said the above party MLAs, including Mr Gunjal and Mr Bhadana, had taken stand and moves to express their solidarity with their respective communities.

Keeping in view extraordinary circumstances till June 5 the BJP ledership had opted to take flexible stand over its MLAs' moves and attitude.

However, yesterdday's developments at the Kota Gujjar meet against BJP legislature party leader and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and the two MLAs' apthy to it had hurt sentiments of the BJP leaders and workers, the BJP state chief said.

Besides this, the party had always strived for greater social harmony above narrow casteist consideration and the MLAs behaviour was not befitting to the ideals.

Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Harishankar Bhabhra had also expressed his serious concerns over the party MLAs behaviour and urged the leadership to issue at least a letter of warning to the MLAs who had acted against the party's ideals.

Accordingly, two MLAs were suspended and 20 others were served with letter of warning, he added.

Eds: Pick up suitably from earlier.

UNI