Defeat stares BJP, no leader wants to be state chief: Pilot
MERA BOOTH MERA GAURAV Campaign aims to energise Congress workers, strengthen the party Even if the state president, CM or the cabinet are changed, nothing will work for BJP SACHIN PILOT , state Congress chief KOTA
: No BJP leader wants to become the Rajasthan unit president as the ruling party faces defeat in assembly polls, state Congress chief Sachin Pilot said here on Monday.
The state assembly elections are slated to be held by the yearend.
“Although it is the internal matter of the BJP as to whom they will make their state president, no one in Rajasthan wants to become a scapegoat since defeat is inevitable,” Pilot said while launching the Congress’s ‘Mera Booth, Mera Gaurav’ campaign from the Kota division.
“Even if the state president, chief minister or the entire cabinet are changed, nothing will work for the BJP,” he said, sounding the poll bugle.
Chief minister Vasundhara Raje cannot run away from her responsibility by merely changing the face of the state leadership, Pilot said, addressing party workers at Maharao Ummed Singh Stadium complex.
Farmers are committing suicides on the home turf of Raje in the Hadauti region as the Rajasthan government is insensitive to their problems, he said. “Farmers are not getting due prices for their crops; farm loan waiver is also a mere formality.”
He said the Mera Booth Mera Gaurav campaign has be launched to energise workers and strengthen the Congress’s base at the booth level through mass contact drives.
“People are against the government and support the Congress, so Congressmen should give priority to their poll booths.” Pilot asked party workers to pressure the local administration for removing fake voters and adding new ones.
Buoyed by victory in three by-elections held this year, the Congress is vying to return to power in assembly elections. The party had also performed better than the BJP in local body elections last year, winning 19 out of 37 seats against the BJP’s 10. The Congress also snatched all four zila parishad seats from the BJP.
Former union minister CP Joshi called upon booth-level workers to seek information about voters and win them over. He asked Congress workers to remain active on social media to counter the BJP’s propaganda.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pandey, AICC secretary Tarun Kumar, AICC general secretary Mohan Prakash, former union minister Namonarayan Meena, former Congress ministers Shanti Dhariwal and Bharat Singh, and Rajasthan leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi were present at the meeting.
PICKPOCKETING
Incidents of pickpocketing were reported at the meeting venue. Many people complained that their mobile phones were stolen.