The ruling Congress in Rajasthan expects to counter anti-incumbency in the November 23 Assembly election with its outreach to people through various flagship welfare schemes. The desert State, which has had a pattern of voting out incumbent governments over the past two decades, is set to witness a battle of wits in the run-up to the polls.
The Opposition BJP, on the other hand, faces the challenge of dealing with factionalism. Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje seems to have been completely sidelined in the party. It has also decided to fight the election without projecting a Chief Ministerial face, which may adversely affect its appeal to the electorate.
With the deployment of the new welfare agenda, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has obtained suggestions from people for the government’s ‘Mission-2030’, which has set the target of bringing Rajasthan to the front row of developed States in the next seven years. On Monday, Mr. Gehlot appealed to voters, after the dates for the election were announced, to make a contribution to the cause.
“We have worked tirelessly during the last five years to serve the people. The historic schemes of bachat, raahat, badhat (savings, relief, growth), which were implemented in far-off villages and hamlets, have ensured the development of Rajasthan at fourfold speed,” Mr. Gehlot said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The ruling party has floated the slogan, ‘Kaam Kiya Hai Dil Se, Congress Phir Se (We have worked from the heart, Congress once again)’ for the polls. It has also succeeded in putting up a united face by resolving the differences between Mr. Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, with the latter actively joining the election campaign and attending the meetings of poll-related committees.
The mehngai raahat or inflation relief camps, being organised across the State since April 24 this year, have seen lakhs of people register themselves to draw the benefits of as many as 10 public welfare schemes and the distribution of colourful Labharthi guarantee cards. The schemes include Chiranjeevi health insurance, employment guarantee in urban areas, LPG cylinders at ₹500, smartphones for women, and social security allowance.
Major poll planks
Just before the enforcement of the model code of conduct, the government has ordered a caste survey on the lines of the one conducted in Bihar to find out the socio-economic status of different sections of society and formulate targeted welfare schemes for them. The survey, to be conducted with the government’s own resources, is going to be a major poll plank.
Two other key issues that will be highlighted by the Congress at the hustings are the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme for government employees and the Centre’s failure to accord national project status to the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project. The party intends to organise big public meeting in the districts that will receive water for drinking and irrigation from the project.
However, the Congress has found it hard to counter the BJP’s allegations of increasing corruption, rising crimes against women, and paper leaks in government recruitment exams. Sacked Minister Rajendra Gudha also created an embarrassment for the party with his claim that a “red diary” contains the details of financial irregularities.
The BJP has also accused the Congress of not fulfilling its promise of loan waiver for farmers. Mr. Gehlot has pointed out several times that the State government has written off loans taken from cooperative banks, but the Centre was not responding to its request to get commercial banks waive farmers’ loans.
The PM Modi factor
Sikar-based political analyst Ashfaq Kayamkhani said the Congress is banking on its social welfare schemes to buck the State’s trend of the incumbent government being voted out of power. “But a lot will depend on the BJP’s ability to exploit the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the promise of a double-engine government,” he said.
While the organisational structure of the Congress has been weak in the last five years, with several State unit office-bearers and district presidents being appointed only last July, the BJP has created a strong set-up right down to the booth level.
Having started the election campaign much in advance, the BJP has brought Mr. Modi for addressing a series of rallies in the State. At a rally in Chittorgarh, he had announced that the party’s symbol, lotus, would be the only face in the election. At another rally in Jodhpur, Mr. Modi accused the Congress of indulging in appeasement as its “first and last policy”.
After the announcement of the election schedule, BJP State president C.P. Joshi said the only suggestion the people were giving to the Congress was to “leave the chair”. He said the “lotus of change” would bloom in the Assembly election as Mr. Modi has assured good governance to the State’s people.
