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Rajasthan elections: BJP begins outreach with focus on women and religious leaders
The polls for the 200-member assembly are scheduled for November 25, with the vote count set for December 3
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning a massive outreach programme to take the central government’s welfare schemes to the common people, with a special focus on women and religious leaders, ahead of the November 25 assembly elections.
According to BJP election management committee convener Narayan Pancharia, the party will organise “chaupals”, or corner meetings, across the state starting November 10 to talk about women’s empowerment and will also hold discussions with Hindu seers on “sanatan dharma” as part of its election strategy in Rajasthan.
“We will hold chaupals with women, farmers and youngsters to tell them about the welfare policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and highlight the failures of the Congress government,” he said.
Hitting out at the ruling Congress, Pancharia accused MLAs and ministers of indulging in corrupt activities and ignoring the people. “Chief minister Ashok Gehlot could not take any decisions. He was helpless because he needed support of MLAs to save his government. So, all MLAs had a free hand in their constituencies,” he said.
Targeting prominent state Congress leaders, including Gehlot, state chief Govind Dotasara, Tonk MLA Sachin Pilot and assembly speaker CP Joshi, Pancharia said: “We will create such a chakravyuh that these leaders will not be able to move out. It will be no surprise if they lose from their constituencies... We will break the record of 163 votes in 2013 and win with a bigger margin.”
The polls for the 200-member assembly are scheduled for November 25, with the vote count set for December 3.
In the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP won 73 seats out of the 200-member house. “We will win with a bigger margin this time,” he said.
Pancharia belongs to Gehlot’s hometown Jodhpur and is contesting in the upcoming polls.
Referring to the recent passage of the recently passed women reservation bill that allots 33% seats for women lawmakers in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, the BJP leader hailed PM Modi for taking the crucial step towards women empowerment and attacked the Congress for not delivering on a long-pending demand during its regime. “During the chaupals with women, we will deliver this message of women empowerment,” he added.
Similar meetings are underway with farmers and youngsters. “Both farmers and youngsters are angry with the Congress government. They promised farm loan waiver but did not fulfil that promise. Besides, frequent question paper leaks in government recruitment exams and massive unemployment rates have upset the younger generation,” said the former Rajya Sabha MP and chief whip of the BJP in the House.
Pancharia said that the party has already held “sampark sammelans” with SC, ST and OBC communities, where BJP leaders highlighted the achievements of the Modi-led government.
Hitting out at the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) over the “sanatana dharma” row, he said: “Several leaders of the INDIA bloc have insulted Sanatan Dharma and the Congress has remained mum. We decided to hold programmes of religious heads in different constituencies to expose the Congress hypocrisy.”
During an event in September, DMK leader and son of Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi, contended that sanatana dharma was against the idea of social justice and that it had to be eradicated.
Asked about the unrest within the BJP after ticket distribution, Pancharia said this was expected and the party has taken steps to quell the dissent. “We have been talking to those who are agitating and trying to convince them. But such dissent is natural in any election. This time we had a large number of claimants for the tickets as people feel BJP will form the government,” he said.
The BJP , meanwhile, dismissed any reports of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje being upset at not being declared the CM face. “Raje is not sidelined, She is active and taking part in all meetings and involved in all discussions. Those close to her have got tickets. Raje is committed to the party and will work as per the party mandate,” he said, adding that the BJP policy in several states has been not to declare any CM face before the elections.
“There is a system of ticket distribution in the BJP. First meetings are held at the local level then at the state level and then at central level... I head the election management committee. Arjun Rma Meghwal heads the Election Manifesto Committee. All leaders in the committees are locals. The party leadership talks to me, takes feedback and suggestions about the situation.”
“The tickets panel is first discussed at the district level and a panel of four names is sent. This is discussed in the core committee at the state level where the names are narrowed down to three, then it goes to the parliamentary board where two names are agreed upon and finally in the Central Election Committee where one name is finalised,” he added.
Hitting back, state Congress spokesperson RC Choudhary said the BJP is trying to rake up communal issues in elections ahead of elections, but the voters will not fall for it.
“BJP tries to polarise voters in elections for their vote bank politics. But their attempts will be futile,” he added.
