Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajkot candidate in Gujarat Parshottam Rupala on Saturday (April 20) said that he is confident of registering victory on the seat in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections despite the row over his remarks on the Kshatriyas in one of his poll rallies. The Rajput community has staged protests demanding to remove him from the list of candidates, even though Rupala tendered an apology over his remarks. The BJP candidate said that there is a positive atmosphere on the ground and the people have made up their mind to give third term at the office to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
What had Rupala said?
Rupala has irked the Rajput community by claiming that erstwhile 'maharajas' succumbed to the persecution of foreign rulers as well as the Britishers. He further said these 'maharajas' broke bread with these rulers and also married off their daughters to them. Since majority of the erstwhile rulers in Gujarat were Rajputs, the community saw the remarks as an insult to them and has asked the BJP multiple times in the recent past to withdraw Rupala's candidature or else the community will go against BJP in this election. Though Rupala has already tendered an apology over his remarks and sought forgiveness, Rajput community leaders have refused to back down.
Rupala on his candidature
In an exclusive interview with India TV, the BJP candidate said, “Two types of atmospheres are created in elections. One is about the candidate, which depends on the incidents around him and related to him. And the other is about the party. There is positive atmosphere on the ground for the BJP and people have decided to vote Narendra Modi to power again.”
What did Rupala say on PM Modi?
He said that people have immense respect for PM Modi.
“It is being seen that people have respect for PM Modi. I see this election as different from all other elections. Narendra Modi will get the third term,” he said.
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