Even as Bainsla unveiled the ‘community flag’, leaders from Rajasthan said, “he is sold out to the Vasundhara Raje Government”. Close to one lakh people had gathered at Nagla Gyani village here and a unanimous decision was reached to oppose the move to accept 6 per cent reservation offered by the Raje Government.

The anti-Bainsla faction shouted slogans against him and called him a “traitor”. The crowd was silenced only after Bainsla announced a chakka jam in Jaipur on January 21. As people tried to climb on to the stage and hurled abuses at him, Bainsla said, “Raje Government has betrayed us and we will take our revenge.”

Leaders said delaying the fight for the ST status and politicising the issue will harm the image of the Samiti. Raj Kumar Bhati, leader of the Janmorcha Party from Uttar Pradesh, said, “The fight for reservations has to be taken ahead, with or without Bainsla.” “We were expecting the announcement of a political party on Sunday,” Jaiveer Kasana, a Gurjjar leader from Uttar Pradesh said.

Meanwhile, Bainsla defended himself. “The announcements will be made in Delhi. People’s expectations are high and they expect me to turn things over instantly. That’s not possible,” he said.

Sources in the party said that there is pressure on Bainsla to hold bigger processions to reiterate the demand for ST status for the community. One of the immediate options is to gherao the Parliament on January 29, a leader said.