BTP set to split in Rajasthan, lawmakers to float new party

Two Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) lawmakers in Rajasthan are set to float their own party amid differences with their Gujarat-based leadership. Rajkumar Roat and Ramprasad have been upset over the leadership’s interferences and bypassing of the state executive.

BTP contested elections first in Rajasthan in 2018 and fielded 11 candidates of which two won. “We have been actively working for the tribals for a long and through various social organisations since 2015...[before joining] BTP for the assembly polls, [we were] assured... that there will be no interference from Gujarat and that local leadership and the state executive will take the decisions...,” said Roat.

He added they recommended supporting independent candidate Thawarchand for the Dhariawad assembly bypoll but the party fielded Ganesh Meena. “The interference has increased to all levels and [we have] now decided to part ways and launch our own party [to] develop local leadership.”

Ramprasad said they practically parted ways when their leadership issued a whip against supporting the ruling Congress. “There [has been] interference...in every matter...”

BTP state president Velaram Ghoghra said this is a fight for supremacy and that the lawmakers and a few leaders were defying BTP’s national leadership. He insisted all the decisions, including tickets for rural bodies polls, were taken in consultation with the lawmakers. Ghoghra called the move to float a new party cheating. “The party issued them a number of notices but the lawmakers have not replied to them. I am writing to the party leadership for action against them.”