BJP sparing no effort to raise emotive issues to shift agenda even as the Chief Minister toils to keep focus on his government’s achievements.
New Delhi: Though the elections in Rajasthan are over a year away, the poll atmosphere has begun to pick up in the state. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appears to have chalked out his strategy after getting a free hand from the Congress high command. As part of this strategy, Gehlot has started to showcase his government’s achievements in what is being seen as his efforts to ensure that the local issues are set as agenda for the polls next year. At the same time, the BJP is trying to push the poll agenda on the track that suits its politics. The saffron party’s focus is on highlighting the Central government’s achievements.
The opposition party in Rajasthan will use PM Modi’s popularity to woo voters in the desert state. The party also raised the issue of Bulldozer drive, incidents of Karauli and Alwar, etc. to lend a different colour to the entire atmosphere. In what may add to the BJP’s political strength during polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced in Bhopal that the BJP-ruled states will bring Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Observers say that this is an issue which is fraught with potential of polarization on communal lines. So, Shah has amply hinted at what the BJP’s campaign is going to be dominated by during the next year polls in Rajasthan as well. BJP strategists know how the similar announcement about the UCC ahead of the Uttarakhand polls benefited the party. So, the Congress in Rajasthan will have to formulate its strategy keeping this also in view. If the BJP raises the UCC issue in a big way, it is definitely going to pose a gigantic challenge to the ruling party in Rajasthan. If the Congress will face loss if it opposes UCC.
However, the Congress is countering BJP’s allegations in the Alwar Rajgarh incidents. The ruling party has blamed the BJP for demolishing a temple in Alwar because the Rajgarh municipality board is ruled by the saffron party. Another issue that came up was about the demolition of a temple in Salasar, which the BJP was trying to raise in a big way. However, it was revealed later that the entire issue was in the jurisdiction of NHAI. But the Karauli issue was massively politicised. However, the state government controlled the situation effectively
But the BJP’s politics over such “communal” incidents has the Congress worried about the polarization of voters in future. Undoubtedly, there is no anti-incumbency as such against the Gehlot government despite over three years in office. Questions are definitely being raised over the working of MLAs. Gehlot makes it a point to push his works to apprise the people about the same. But what has been seen is that Gehlot is struggling alone, with MLAs and other leaders less visible on social media to circulate the government’s achievements.
One of the key achievements of the Gehlot government was his effective fight against Covid-19 which was admired at the international level as well. The Congress highlights it at various levels. However, the strategists believe that the party needs to popularize the Gehlot government’s decisions that benefit the common man. For example, Gehlot’s budget is being dubbed as the best ever budget. But the question is whether the budget’s salient features are being given sufficient publicity. Decisions like the old pension scheme, Indira Gandhi urban employment guarantee, hike of limit from Rs 5 lakh to 10 lakh under Chiranjeevi Yojana, etc. are some of the issues that can give Congress’ campaign a major boost. The opposition will be speechless on these issues. Moreover, Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project is a big issue which Congress can raise during polls. The ruling party is targeting the BJP over the centre’s inability to give it national project status.
But the Congress does not have a strong and systematic organizational structure that could really help it score over the BJP with these issues. Internal tussle is making things worse. More than other parties, insiders are trying to destabilise the government. In a warning to such elements, Gehlot keeps reminding how two years ago some leaders tried to topple his government. The BJP is still trying to benefit from these internal problems of the Congress. The BJP gets active to target the government the moment Delhi based Khan Market Gang spreads rumors about change of guard in Rajasthan. The phrase “Khan Market Gang” was coined by PM Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. However, the activities of this group have been limited ever since the Modi government came to power. But some Congress leaders are still in touch with “this gang”.
Meanwhile, BJP is also trying to use the “Bulldozer demolition drive” as a big political weapon. Needless to say that the Bulldozer politics benefited BJP a lot in the UP polls. Similarly, bulldozer drive in Jahangirpur in Delhi has become a big issue, with the opinion getting divided on the line of Hindu and Muslim. Congress does not want this issue to be given too much importance. Even though BJP is also faction ridden in Rajasthan, the saffron party looks less problem-infested than Congress due to the strong central leadership.