Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president J.P. Nadda on Saturday, July 29, 2023. said his party would sweep this year’s Assembly election in Rajasthan. This, he said, was based on the “unprecedented support” being extended by the people following the failure of the Congress government in the State on all fronts. Mr. Nadda said the Congress had lost people’s faith because of the rampant corruption and crimes against women.
Mr. Nadda was on a day’s visit to Jaipur to preside over a meeting of the State BJP’s core committee. No chief ministerial face in the poll-bound State was projected at the meeting following the reshuffle of the national team of BJP’s office bearers earlier in the day.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Mr. Nadda said that women were at the receiving end in Rajasthan, with 18 to 19 rape cases being reported every day, while 19,500 farmers had received notices for confiscation of their land. The promised farm loan waiver was nowhere in sight. “The Ashok Gehlot government is synonymous with loot and atrocities. People have made up their mind to get rid of it,” he said.
Union Minister and BJP’s election in-charge for Rajasthan Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who has been retained as the BJP national vice-president, BJP State president C.P. Joshi and other leaders of the party attended the core committee meeting.
The BJP president’s unwillingness to name a chief ministerial face indicated that Ms. Raje will not be projected for the post during the election campaign despite her supporters’ strong demand. Ms. Raje’s ties with the party’s national leadership have improved after an earlier hardening of relations following her defeat in the 2018 Assembly polls.
Mr. Nadda said the policies of the Narendra Modi government had empowered the poor, farmers, Dalits, youths and women. “The people of Rajasthan are not only going to give a one-sided blessing to the BJP in the Assembly elections, but they will also ensure a clean sweep of our party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” he said.
Mr. Nadda accused the State government of not utilising the Central funds for important schemes as a ploy to level allegations of discrimination against Opposition-ruled States. In addition to corruption in all segments of the government, there was a marked injustice against the youths in the instances of recruitment exam paper leaks and discrimination against Dalits, he said.
The core committee meeting deliberated on the preparations for the Assembly election, which included the formation of the poll-related committees and the schedule and routes of ‘Parivartan Yatras’ to be taken out in different parts of the State. The party leaders also reviewed the progress of the ongoing ‘Nahi Sahega Rajasthan’ campaign.
