In a change of campaign strategy, Congress has decided to make BJP play on its ‘pitch’ instead of getting into the saffron party’s political trap. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has given this indication through speeches and messages posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The BJP’s manifesto has given Congress a much-needed opportunity to carry out the election campaign on a more aggressive line. In its manifesto, the BJP has neither made any mention of the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) nor did it say a single word about the health insurance of Rs 25 lakh. These two schemes seem to be playing an important role in paving the way for the Congress to repeat its government in Rajasthan.
CM Gehlot has turned his public welfare schemes into a political weapon to target the BJP. Gehlot posted a message on X this morning cautioning the public that if the BJP government comes to power, the insurance worth Rs 25 lakh will be stopped. The central government’s Ayushman Bharat, which the BJP is promising, will cover government employees, pensioners and contract workers, and only treatment worth Rs 5 lakh will be given. The Gehlot government gives insurance of Rs 25 lakh under Chiranjeevi Yojana. Gehlot added, “If BJP comes to power, the free medicines and tests already available in Rajasthan OPD, IPD under the health scheme of Rajasthan Government will also be stopped.”
There is no mention of the Old Pension Scheme in the BJP’s manifesto. This indicates that the BJP may scrap the old pension scheme as soon as it comes to power. In fact, the OPS had been scrapped by the BJP-led NDA government in 2004. When Chief Minister Gehlot restored the scheme in 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman openly opposed this move. Experts also believe that the central leadership of the BJP has been against the OPS scheme. However, Gehlot is showcasing these schemes during his speeches in an attempt to win voters’ confidence.