Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party Monday, declaring prime minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah have been regular visitors to poll-bound Gujarat amid the ruling party's fears it will be wiped out.
Gehlot - whose nomination for the Congress' presidential election made headlines last month - told news agency ANI the visits betrayed the party's 'weak condition'; this comes as the BJP looks to extend its 27-year stranglehold on the prime minister's home state.
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Both Modi and Shah (and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath) will campaign in Gujarat today in a high-octane campaign that will also see Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party boss Arvind Kejriwal hit the streets.
"Ever since they won UP polls, PM-Amit Shah started coming here (Gujarat) regularly. It means they feel BJP being wiped out. What does it mean if they come here every week? Shows their weak condition. So, both of them set up a camp here," Gehlot said.
{{/usCountry}}"Ever since they won UP polls, PM-Amit Shah started coming here (Gujarat) regularly. It means they feel BJP being wiped out. What does it mean if they come here every week? Shows their weak condition. So, both of them set up a camp here," Gehlot said.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal in Gujarat as poll fever heats up
On the Congress' campaign, Gehlot declared Gandhi would cover Gujarat as part of the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra. "Rahul Gandhi is carrying out the yatra for every state, including Gujarat. Every household knows the issues being raised by him. Wasn't possible for him to be here physically as he's giving priority to yatra. He's coming here today, will speak his mind..."
The Rajasthan chief minister also slammed the BJP over the bridge collapse in Morbi district last month - in which 135 people were killed - and declared that the state goverment's 'politics of gimmicks' precluded any fair and thorough investigation into the incident.
"People (of Gujarat) are agitated. Entire country saw the mismanagement during Covid, especially in the state which was strong even before independence..."
Gujarat will vote in two phases - on December 1 and 5. Votes will be counted on December 8, with those from Himachal Pradesh - another state the BJP is widely expected to retain.