Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Thursday said women will play a decisive role in the assembly elections and claimed the community will “bring the BJP back to power” in the state, where polling is scheduled for December 7.
“This (upcoming assembly) election belongs to women,” she said at a rally, Nari Shakti Sammelan Vijay Sankalp, organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s women wing to mark the birth centenary of Raje’s mother Vijaya Raje Scindia.
“Women have spoken out and said that they will fight for those who have not had the chance to come to the forefront. We want to empower these women and we are fighting for them. Together, we will bring this change,” the chief minister told the gathering.
The BJP’s women wing is celebrating Scindia’s birthday on October 12 in all 200 assembly constituencies through rituals and prayers.
“During the (Rajasthan) Gaurav Yatra (the 40-day tour which ended on October 2), I saw the massive participation from women. I have taken out three yatras and had seen women’s participation in the Parivartan Yatra and the Suraj Sankalp Yatra. During the Gaurav Yatra, half of the pandals (at the rallies) would be filled with women,” Raje said.
Recounting her mother’s legacy, she said Scindia put all her strength in “nurturing” the former Jana Sangh, which later morphed into the BJP. “She gave her time and money, and gave priority to the party and the people over family,” Raje said of her mother.
{{/usCountry}}Recounting her mother’s legacy, she said Scindia put all her strength in “nurturing” the former Jana Sangh, which later morphed into the BJP. “She gave her time and money, and gave priority to the party and the people over family,” Raje said of her mother.
{{/usCountry}}Raje said upon becoming the prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had come to meet Scindia, when she was unwell.
“She was lying with her eyes closed. When we told her Prime Minster Atal Bihari Vajpayee is here, she opened her eyes and held his hand and said ‘Now I can pass away peacefully. I have waited for this moment for so long. Nothing can stop the BJP now’,” Raje said.
Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar said Scindia was “warm and loving towards everyone”. He also accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of “telling lies”, saying the leader “thinks if he repeats the lies many times people will think it’s true”. “But he hasn’t learnt his lesson well,” Javadekar said.
Reacting to Javadekar, Congress spokesperson Pratap Khachariyawas said BJP was in a tizzy by the corruption issue raised by Rahul Gandhi in Rafale deal, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya cases to which they have no answers. They are trying to divert attention by making baseless statements, he said.