Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot assures that the Bharatiya Janata Party's attempt to communalise the Assembly elections in his state won't work like it did not in Karnataka.
The Rajasthan Assembly elections are supposed to take place this year and the chief minister of the state Ashok Gehlot says with assurance that the Bharatiya Janata Party won't be able to take over this year with their religion-centric campaigns like they did in Karnataka.
In an interview with NDTV, Ashok Gehlot said, "Whether PM Modi or Amit Shah...they raise slogans in the name of religion...none of that will work this time. It didn't work when they mentioned Bajrang Bali in Karnataka. That was very wrong. I had demanded the election commission stop PM Modi from campaigning. This is a kind of crime."
He assured Congress supporters by saying that the BJP will try to win using communally sensitive statements but the way they did not win in Karnataka, they won't be able to win it in Rajasthan either. He added with confidence that BJP will do something like this, he said, "It's in their nature, they can do anything."
Ashok Gehlot mentioned about the development done so far and the infrastructure of his party's governance will pay off in the coming elections. He reportedly said, "I believe we will win based on our governance in the last five years, and how we have worked on issues like infrastructure, education, health, water, the welfare of daughters, or roads -- 1 lakh km of roads will be built in Rajasthan. 56,000 km have already been completed." He also spoke about giving pensions to 1 crore people.
Gehlot also told the media that the programs, principles and policies of the Congress Party can 'save' the country. Attacking the BJP, he said that whoever understands and identifies with Congress' belief system, would leave everything and try to defeat the 'fascist forces' who 'do not believe in democracy'.
When asked about his spat with deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, he reportedly said, "Recently, in Delhi, we spoke to each other, monitored by Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. I wouldn't like to talk about it right now. When we have sat down to talk once, if I now say something it might be misunderstood." He claimed this to be an internal matter of his party and would not further reveal anything.
He reportedly assured that he is ready to take action against BJP's Vasundhara Raje which was the point of conflict between him and Pilot. He said, "All the allegations we made against her (Ms Raje) have been taken to the courts. I will act if someone, even a random individual, can point out what we have left pending."