Ex-MLA grabs mike on the stage to speak

Jodhpur: Chaos erupted on the stage of the BJP public meeting at Balesar in presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh when former Shergarh MLA Babu Singh Rathore suddenly pulled the mike from the anchor to address the people.Immediately after Union cabinet minister and local MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat completed his address and the anchor took over, Rathore approached the mike, pushed the anchor away and took control of the mike. This led to some other leaders rushing to him and snatching the mike from him despite his claim that he had taken permission from Rajnath Singh.Senior BJP leaders Shekhawat and Satish Poonia intervened and allowed Rathore to speak. In his address, Rathore demanded setting up of a Kendriya Vidyalaya at Shergarh, citing the contribution of the constituency in the country’s defence.“We have been demanding a Kendriya Vidyalaya at Shergarh for a long time. I had met Rajnath Singh in 2013 with this demand and also placed the demand before Shekhawat, but nothing has happened. I stand on the dais with this demand only. I want a Kendriya Vidyalaya here for our children,” said Rathore, apologising for the intervention.Interestingly, when Singh mentioned this demand and asked Shekhawat to take it up with the Union education minister, Shekhawat told him that the school had already been sanctioned.The drama on the stage brought to fore the strained relations between Shekhawat and Rathore, who is known for his loyalty to ex-CM Vasundhara Raje. In the last assembly election, it was alleged that Shekhawat had not supported Rathore enough.