Congress’ focus is on local issues, while the BJP banks on PM Modi.
New Delhi: Around one year is left for the Rajasthan Assembly elections in 2023, but both the Congress and the BJP have started preparations for the electoral battle. During his public addresses in the state, BJP national president J.P. Nadda has made it clear that the saffron party will contest polls on the basis of PM Modi’s popularity.
Moreover, the BJP will corner Congress on its “appeasement” politics. In a bid to counter the BJP’s strategy, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s focus is on targeting the saffron party and the Modi government over local issues. Both the Congress and Gehlot are working on the strategy to target BJP over “factionalism” as well.
The last polls in Rajasthan were held on the popularity of local leaders and local issues. If the local leadership is considered this time too, then Gehlot may be ahead of the BJP in terms of popularity. The fight will be tough if the BJP banks on PM Modi during polls. The BJP has already achieved big successes in some states like UP and Uttarakhand where PM Modi was the face. Nadda has also said that the party will fight polls in all the states including Gujarat, Himachal, Rajasthan and MP banking on PM Modi’s popularity. The BJP high command may face some problems in convincing the local leaders in Rajasthan and MP. Former CM Vasundhara Raje will not easily relent on her demand for the top post in Rajasthan. Similarly, it will be difficult for the high command to convince CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan in MP. By virtue of being quite senior, the two leaders are quite important for the BJP as well. The party has been winning bypolls under their leadership.
Meanwhile, Gehlot is continuing to raise the pending schemes related to potable water and slamming the Modi government for the delay in clearance. He is also highlighting his own “pro-people” decisions to score over BJP. No doubt, Gehlot faces some challenges after some incidents of communal violence in Rajasthan and Udaipur killing. But Gehlot took quick action in these cases, on the basis of which Congress tried to thwart BJP’s bid to corner the grand old party over “politics of appeasement”. However, the BJP will continue to raise this issue, as has been indicated by the statements of the national leaders visiting Udaipur. CM Gehlot is on the offensive against the BJP on the communal incidents. He keeps targeting PM Modi as well. Appealing for peace and unity, he blames Sangh and BJP for existing tension in the country. Gehlot is aware that the BJP will try to rake up issues having polarizing potential. So, he is keeping his focus on local issues. With this in view, Gehlot handed over a four-page memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the latter’s Jaipur visit. The memorandum contains the local issues. The issue of Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is one of the key issues highlighted in the memorandum. Over a dozen local issues have also been mentioned in the document. Several non-BJP ruled states accuse Centre of giving step-motherly treatment to them. Gehlot is also highlighting the same issue. Raising the potable water issue, Gehlot says that the ambitious project of providing drinking water to every household with 50 per cent of state share cannot be completed by 2024, and the Centre should increase the deadline to 2026. He says that villages in Rajasthan are at a great distance from one another. So, it will take time to connect them under this project.
The Centre has a key role in the drinking water project, the CM says. The Congress’ demand for giving national project tag to ERCP has become a big issue, on which the Central government and the BJP are supposed to respond. Gehlot says that 16 national projects across the country are being run by the Centre. But unfortunately, not a single project is in Rajasthan, while the Union Water Resources Minister is from the state, he adds. Gehlot says that Congress will welcome it if this project is handled by the Centre. In fact, the Congress will try to take credit if the ERCP scheme is started, and 13 districts will benefit. Gehlot has already started visiting the state, disposing of pending cases in what is viewed as his attempt to grow his clout in various regions. In a response to Congress’ strategy, the BJP leaders have also ramped up activities in the state, targeting Congress over local issues. But the grand old party is so far in the lead.