Gehlot embarks on pre-poll journey with call to strengthen welfare schemes

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on September 27 embarked on a nine-day-long journey to 18 districts under the Mission 2030 campaign with a call to strengthen the public welfare schemes launched by the Congress government

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on September 27 embarked on a nine-day-long journey to 18 districts under the Mission 2030 campaign with a call to strengthen the public welfare schemes launched by the Congress government during the last few months. Mr. Gehlot said any change of government, though unlikely, should not lead to discontinuation of the flagship schemes.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to Jaipur recently, should give a guarantee that no scheme of the Congress government will be discontinued if the BJP comes to power in Rajasthan,” Mr. Gehlot said at the first meeting held here during the public outreach programme. The journey will cover Shekhawati, Marwar and Mewar regions ahead of the State Assembly election.

The Chief Minister said Mr. Modi would have the right to campaign in the State and ask for votes only if gave an assurance about “unhindered implementation” of the schemes, which were benefiting lakhs of people. The BJP government at the Centre should also implement the welfare schemes launched in Rajasthan at the national level, he said.

“Mr. Modi should declare that the Old Pension Scheme, legislations with statutory rights enacted by the Congress government and the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme will continue to exist,” Mr. Gehlot said. The dialogue on the journey’s first day was organised with jewellers, gemstone dealers and artisans at B.M. Birla Auditorium here.

Mr. Gehlot also questioned “frequent visits” of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to Rajasthan just before the Assembly polls, saying there was no logic behind it. “The Vice-President has come here five to seven times in the last one month. He is moving up and down. Today, he is visiting five places with four helicopters. As a constitutional functionary, what impression will he leave on the people?” he said.

Mr. Gehlot hit out at the Union Ministers touring the poll-bound State one after the other and said they did not seem to have any work in New Delhi. “A new system has been created at the Centre, where a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary sits in the departments to get the work done. Since it is up to him and the Secretary to work, the Ministers have nothing much to do,” Mr. Gehlot remarked.

Mr. Gehlot said the BJP leaders like Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who recently campaigned in the State, should make their party’s stand clear about the schemes such as the Chiranjeevi health insurance scheme, OPS, LPG cylinder for ₹500, Annapurna food packet and free electricity. Mr. Sarma had said in Jodhpur that the BJP, if elected, would stop the Congress government’s schemes.