‘It is the first time Central ministers are scheming to topple state govts – Karnataka, MP…’: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

[bhaigan]

As Ashok Gehlot completes three years in his third tenure as Rajasthan Chief Minister, he speaks to The Indian Express on the challenges so far, on what lies ahead, and why he believes Rajasthan will finally break a three-decade-long tradition of not reelecting a government.

What are the big-ticket schemes that you think will help re-elect you in 2023?

Our government has worked for every section of society and uploaded details of every beneficiary online. Our government has waived nearly Rs 15,000 crore worth of farm loans; has given an additional subsidy of Rs 1,000 on electricity bills of farmers, which has led to zero bills for about 3 lakh farmers; given free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh through the Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana; and during Covid, given everything free from tests to treatment. Government medical colleges are being opened in 30 districts, 123 new colleges have been opened, of which 32 are women colleges, we have given 1 lakh government jobs while about 80,000 are in the pipeline, rules are being formed for contractual workers, 88 lakh people are being given social security pension, roads are being laid in every Vidhan Sabha, complainants are being heard in police stations, and industrial areas opened in every block.

This is just a snapshot. People have approved our work time and again. That is why we have won big in six out of eight Assembly bypolls, and in urban local bodies and panchayati raj polls.

The BJP doesn’t have anything to show when it comes to its previous governments or the Modi government. Hence, they do politics of hate across the country, in the name of caste, religion, class and language. We have always sought votes on development. Now the public has sworn that they will vote in the name of development… Even after three years there is no anti-incumbency… The BJP has not been able to promote enmity due to the strictness of our government and instead their leaders are fighting amongst themselves.

The kind of Corona management we did, there was no discontent, as seen in other states… This time the public will break a tradition since 1993 and vote in the Congress again.