Jaipur: The ruling Congress yesterday got a shot in the arm after Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla announced that his community members would vote for the party in the December 1 Rajasthan Assembly polls, following Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's “promise of five per cent quota” for them.
Bainsla, who met the Chief Minister at the latter's residence earlier today, announced open “vote and support” for the Congress and said the party, if voted to power, would implement their long-standing demand of reservation.
It was the Congress government which provided one per cent quota out of five per cent to the Gujjar community and set up the Devnarayan Board giving financial and other benefits to Gujjars, hence they would vote for Congress candidates, he told a press conference here.
The Gujjar community has 5 per cent vote share in the state.
Under Special Backward Class (SBC), Gujjar, Raika, Rebari and other caste have been given one per cent quota, and remaining four per cent would be expedited by the Congress government if voted to power, Bainsla said, quoting Gehlot. Both Congress and opposition BJP have in their manifesto promised five per cent reservation to Gujjars and other communities under the Special Backward Class.
