Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said if his party forms government in Rajasthan, then they will come to power at the Centre in 2024. During the launch of an awareness campaign for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) in Baran district, Kharge highlighted the work done by the Ashok Gehlot government in the state.
He said that the Congress government has taken Rajasthan forward in terms of economic, social, education and health. "The Chief Minister of Rajasthan has taken many steps for the poor of the state. All this has been done for the public. Now BJP is trying to copy us. We implemented the guarantee scheme in Karnataka, so they are also starting the scheme," he said.
'Ashok Gehlot fulfilled all promises'
"Ashok Gehlot made several promises in Rajasthan, and he fulfilled all of them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also promised to provide 2 crore jobs every year and deposit 15 lakh rupees in everyone's account, but he didn't fulfil those promises. PM Modi backed away from his words, but the Chief Minister of Rajasthan fulfilled all his commitments," said the Congress chief.
Kharge said that Ashok Gehlot introduced the "Chiranjeevi Yojana for the poor people who cannot afford medical treatment. "Due to a lack of money, many people in Rajasthan faced difficulties in getting medical treatment. Ashok Gehlot introduced the Chiranjeevi Yojana, under which free treatment of up to 25 lakh rupees was provided. Only someone who has compassion for the poor and understands their problems can do such work," he said.
He further slammed PM Modi for not providing funds for the "Sinchai Yojana" (irrigation scheme) and said that the Congress government in Rajasthan itself is spending Rs 25,000 crore to forward this project. He said people elected 25 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from Rajasthan in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but they could neither bring funds nor water for them.
'It's written in red diary, Congress will form govt again'
He highlighted that in his recent speeches, Prime Minister Modi mentioned a "red diary" which purportedly contains evidence of financial irregularities in the Rajasthan government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. "It is written in that red diary that the Congress will form its government again in Rajasthan after the upcoming Assembly polls. Modi ji, look at what work has been done in Rajasthan... don't go after red diary, black diary," he said.
Kharge asserted that "if the Congress government is formed in Rajasthan, the party will come to power at the Centre in 2024".
had accused the party of seeking to divide people through the exercise. "We raised the question that there should be a caste census, and the underprivileged should get their share. Modi ji says - we are dividing people when this is actually their habit to divide people on the basis of religion and caste. We are the ones who initiated the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra.' Be it the Indira Nahar, AIIMS, or big dams - all of these were constructed by the Congress. You have only been busy with disputes," he alleged.
Rajasthan elections
Rajasthan will go to polls on November 25 while the counting of votes will take place on December 3. Rajasthan has 200 total seats. In Rajasthan – which will see a direct fight between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party on November 25 – anti-incumbency is an important factor. Since 1993, when the BJP came to power after a stint of President’s rule, the state has alternated between the Congress and the BJP.
In 2018, Congress won 100 seats in the 2018 Assembly polls. BJP followed at 73 seats while BSP garnered 6 seats. Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) gathered 3 seats with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) mustering 2 seats each. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) managed to grab just one seat while there were 13 independent candidates in the 2018 Assembly Elections.
Also Read: Rajasthan Assembly Elections: Vasundhara Raje meets Gulabchand Kataria ahead of polls
