After more than a decade, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Jat veteran Parasram Maderna have not only travelled together but have participated in a programme on Sunday at Chadi village under Jodhpur district. The political observers see it as a major development because a section of the ruling party painted Mr Maderna as anti-Gehlot.
The CM and ailing Jat leader Maderna flew in a state helicopter from Jaipur to Jodhpur and headed for Chadi to address a function. Recalling his first election in 1980 when Mr Gehlot contested for Parliament from Jodhpur, Mr Gehlot said, “It was the same Chadi village, where I started my campaign with the blessing of Mr Maderna.”
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‘Cong behind Guru mercy plea order delay’
AGE CORRESPONDENT
BHOPAL
May 29: The Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party unit has accused the Congress of pursuing the narrow vote bank politics and blamed it for delaying the decision on the mercy petition of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
State BJP’s joint spokesman Umesh Sharma has urged President Pratibha Patil to reject Afzal Guru’s mercy petition. The indecision in this matter smacks off the Congress-led UPA government’s policy of appeasement towards the minorities, Mr Sharma has pointed out.