Modi says lotus will be face of BJP in Rajasthan Assembly polls

No Chief Ministerial face likely to be promoted during the campaign for the Assembly election

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the gathering at the unveiling of various development projects during a public meeting, in Chittorgarh on October 2. | Photo Credit: ANI

In a clear indication that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not project any Chief Ministerial face, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday the BJP’s ummeed and ummeedwar (hope and candidate) in the Assembly polls was going to be the party’s symbol. “We have only one face: the lotus. People will ensure its victory with an overwhelming majority,” he said.

Mr. Modi was addressing a rally in Chittorgarh after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for projects worth ₹7,200 crore. Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, whose supporters have been demanding that the election be fought under her leadership, was among the BJP leaders present at the rally. Others present included BJP State president C.P. Joshi, Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

The Prime Minister also prayed at the famed Sanwaliya Seth temple at Mandaphiya during his second visit to the State in the last one week. He had addressed a BJP rally at Dadiya village near Jaipur on September 25.

Mr. Modi said that the BJP, if elected to power in the upcoming Assembly election in Rajasthan, will not stop any of the welfare schemes launched by the Congress Government. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had “accepted defeat” by making a request on these lines to him recently, Mr. Modi said.

Last week, Mr. Gehlot, while embarking on a journey to 18 districts under the Mission-2030 campaign, had said that Mr. Modi should guarantee that none of the welfare schemes launched by the Congress Government would be discontinued. Any change of government, though unlikely, should not lead to discontinuation of the flagship schemes, the Chief Minister had said.

Mr. Modi said Mr. Gehlot had realised that the countdown for the Congress Government’s downfall had begun. “In a way, he has congratulated the BJP for the formation of the next government. I assure you that the BJP will make an attempt to improve the schemes of public interest rather than stopping them. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said.

Mr. Modi slammed the Congress Government over the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur last year and accused the ruling party of indulging in vote bank politics. “People came on the pretext of getting clothes stitched and slit the throat of the tailor without any fear,” Mr. Modi said, asking if the people had voted the Congress for such a situation.

The Prime Minister said the people in the State were not able to celebrate any festival peacefully because of the prevailing atmosphere, while Mr. Gehlot was busy saving his chair and half of his own party had been trying to remove him for the last four years.

Mr. Modi also attacked the Congress Government over corruption and crimes against women, which he said had brought Rajasthan to the top position in the country’s crime chart. He said the most number of crimes against women were being reported from the State, and atrocities against Dalits and Backward Classes were on the rise.