Rajasthan Assembly Elections: The Red Diary, rumored to hold information about corruption within Congress, along with eight instances of paper leaks in Rajasthan and the murder case of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, has significantly damaged Congress's chances in the assembly elections in the Hindi heartland.
The counting of votes for the assembly elections held in Rajasthan is currently underway. According to trends, the BJP appears to be heading towards a clear victory in the state with a majority. Despite the continuous assertions from the Congress party and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot about retaining power, these results are turning out to be surprising for them.
BJP races towards absolute majority in Rajasthan
Despite the Congress party's confidence in winning the 2023 assembly elections after coming to power in 2018, the BJP appears to be securing a clear majority. According to current trends, the BJP is on track to win more than 110 seats in the Rajasthan Assembly elections. Additionally, numerous independent candidates, reportedly aligned with the BJP, are also emerging victorious. It's important to note that elections have been conducted for 199 seats in Rajasthan, and the majority threshold stands at 100 seats. As a result, the BJP does not anticipate encountering any challenges in forming the government.
Congress' guarantee did not work
Drawing inspiration from the Karnataka's victory, CM Gehlot had launched several guarantees schemes for the public in view of the Rajasthan elections. Among these guarantees were an annual grant of Rs 10,000 for women, purchase of cow dung at the rate of Rs 2 per kg, gas cylinder for Rs 500, old pension scheme, insurance and many big promises were also announced for students. However, even these issues did not bring victory to the Congress.
From paper leak to Kanhaiya Lal murder case
In Rajasthan, the issue of government recruitment paper leaks has been a heated topic for a long time. The BJP strategically leveraged this issue to put pressure on the Congress. Furthermore, following the murder of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, the Congress faced accusations of engaging in appeasement politics within the state. In addition to these issues, the BJP leveled charges of corruption against the Congress in Rajasthan. Despite Chief Minister Gehlot consistently opposing actions taken by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), he did not derive any advantage from such opposition.
'Red dairy' issue
During its five-year tenure, the Rajasthan Congress was significantly plagued by factionalism, primarily between the supporters of Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot. The infighting escalated, causing continuous clashes between the two factions. Efforts were later made by the central leadership to control the damage, but by then, it seemed perhaps too late by then. Additionally, the Red Diary issue repeatedly surfaced during the elections and had caused quite a stir in the state. Rajendra Gudha, a minister in Gehlot's cabinet, had mentioned illegal accounts of the government in the the diary. The BJP amplified this red diary matter throughout the elections. Apart from this, several party leaders also expressed dissatisfaction with the ticket distribution process.
BJP high command exerted all its strength
The entire central leadership of the BJP, including Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, exerted significant effort in Rajasthan. In almost every rally, PM Modi leveled accusations of corruption and appeasement against the Gehlot government. In one of his rallies, PM Modi went so far as to claim that the Congress was intent on undermining the culture of Rajasthan. Additionally, the BJP opted for a strategy of collective leadership in the state elections instead of projecting a single face, and they fielded several sitting MPs. These strategic decisions played a pivotal role in giving the party a substantial advantage in Rajasthan.
Also Read: Who will become Rajasthan Chief Minister? Meet 7 frontrunners for the top post
