BJP trying to defeat me by resorting to caste politics: Jaswant Singh

Zee Media Bureau/Ritesh K Srivastava

Barmer: Veteran politician Jaswant Singh, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections as an Indepedent candidate from Barmer, on Thursday accused his former party BJP of resorting to caste politics to defeat him in his constituency. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Jaswant Singh, “It is unfortunate that BJP is now resorting to caste politics in trying to defeat me here in Barmer.” When asked if he sees any Narendra Modi wave in Rajasthan, the former External Affairs Minister said, “That is just the imagination of national media. I don`t really see a Modi wave here.” When asked about his own poll prospects in view of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje throwing her full weight behind BJP candidate Col Sona Ram Chowdhary, Singh said, “I dont want to say anything about it. Elections results will clear everything.” The caustic remarks from former BJP politician comes days after he declared to contest elections as an Indepedent after his party denied the Lok Sabha ticket to him from the Barmer seat. The party instead fielded Col Sona Ram, who is considered to be very close to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, from the Barmer seat. The party`s refusal to field him from the Barmer seat came as a major embarrassment for Singh, who is regarded as one of the frontline leaders of the BJP.