Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, on Saturday, claimed that if the Bharatiya Janata Party is not able to declare its leader in Rajasthan for the upcoming assembly polls, this means that it has already surrendered to the Congress.
While giving a speech at the Congress’ state election committee meeting, Gehlot claimed that ‘winnability’ would be the only criteria for handing out the tickets in the assembly election.
He confidently said that the Congress government would retain power in the state, saying that the people of Rajasthan have made up their minds in this case and cited the welfare measures taken during his tenure.
Attacking the central leaders of the rival Bharatiya Janata Party being active in Rajasthan, Gehlot said it seems like the BJP has already surrendered before the elections.
Gehlot said, “People will ask them – if after the elections, decisions on electricity, water, medical and other matters will also be taken while sitting in Delhi. Who will do it (decision)? If you are not in a position to tell who is your leader in Rajasthan and the election will be fought on the face of the prime minister, then I think that such a situation has come that they have surrendered before the election.”
When CM Gehlot was asked about the criteria for giving tickets, he said, “Winnability is the first criterion. The first and last parameter will be winnability – a person who can win the election. A 90-year-old won the election in Karnataka.” He also talked about the defamation case filed against him by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. He stated that whatever he said was based on the report of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police on the alleged Sanjeevani Cooperative Society scam. He added that if Shekhawat is not guilty, “why did he take interim bail from the high court”.
The Rajasthan CM, while referring to the public welfare schemes of the state government, said that Rajasthan is showing the direction to other states and the country in many respects, and the work of the Rajasthan government is being discussed in the whole country. He said, “Other governments are keeping our schemes in their manifestos.”
Along with Gehlot, Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasra also labelled the state election committee meeting a success and asserted that the Congress government would repeat itself in the state. He said, “Every person is talking about our government’s major public welfare schemes, our good governance. We are all united. There are no differences between any of us. We all will fight the elections together.” He further said, “We will win in 2023 and the way to Delhi in 2024 will be open for us.”
The Congress leader added, “Everyone has come to know about the lies of the BJP, its deceit, its failure as the opposition in Rajasthan.”
Several other Congress Party Minister also participated in the meeting on Saturday, including, state in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, co-incharges Amrita Dhawan, Virendra Rathore, Qazi Nizamuddin, and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot.
