Gunjal to contest against Vasundhara Raje

Jaipur, Aug 26 (UNI) Gujjar leader and sitting Rajasthan MLA Prahlad Gunjal has expressed his resolve to contest the next Assembly election in the state against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in her constituency in Jhalrapatan of Jhalawar district.

Mr Gunjal told UNI here that he had made a public announcement in Jhalrapatan about his resolve and was ready to contest against Ms Raje even as an Independent.

He claimed that the Gujjar community was annoyed with Ms Raje and the ruling BJP and determined "to settle score with the saffron party whose leadership had cheated them over the demand of ST status." Mr Gunjal said that the BJP would taste bitter defeat in the Assembly election to be held by November.

He had won the last Assembly poll from Ramganj Mandi in Kota district on a BJP ticket.

About a year ago, he was expelled from the BJP for defying Chief Minister Raje's leadership and her government's actions and policy over the Gujjar agitation for ST status.

He had later joined the BSP in March this year along with fellow MLA Attar Singh Bhadana. Both the MLAs have now been expelled from the BSP too.

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