‘Saini official state BJP chief, but Parnami Raje’s favourite’
AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot alleged on Monday that though Madan Lal Saini was made the Rajasthan BJP president, chief minister Vasundhara Raje continued to give former chief Ashok Parnami the same prominence.
Gehlot alleged corruption in government departments, such as IT, mining, PHED, and energy. “Officials of these departments are not understanding how arrests have been made, and there could be possibility of more arrests. A caucus at the chief minister’s office, which includes government and non-government people, ruled (the state) in the last four years,” he told reporters at his residence in Jaipur.
Saini was brought in after Parnami was removed, but he was not getting the respect that should be given to a party chief, Gehlot said. “She (Raje) still keeps Parnami with her, which means there are two party chiefs -- one of Raje and another of Amit Shah (BJP national president).” The former CM said, “Saini is a good person, committed and honest, but the way she (Raje) is treating him is unfair.”
Gehlot alleged that an official at the CMO was acting like a de facto chief minister. “Everything including governance was left to the CMO and an official there is working as de facto chief minister. All the decisions, right or wrong, are taken by him, including threatening IAS and RAS officials on the instructions of Raje,” he said. “Being an official he has duty towards the Centre, but it is hard to understand why he worked as a slave to CM.”
Projects, such as refinery, metro phase-II, and coach factory, were stalled under Raje rule. Her priority was mining, PHED, energy and Jaipur police commissionerate, he alleged.
The law and order situation has deteriorated, crores of rupees were wasted in the name of event management and she misled people on Barmer oil refinery, Gehlot alleged. “Ever since the formation of the government, she worked in a vindic- tive manner. She is taking out Gaurav Yatra, but her defeat is certain.”
Gehlot challenged Raje to name five achievements during her two tenures as CM. “BJP levels charges that nothing was done in the last 50 years. They do not remember that in the last 28 years, BJP ruled Rajasthan for 18 years and Congress for 10 years,” he said.
Gehlot demanded that CM tell people how much investment came after the Resurgent Rajasthan summit was held in 2015.
Reacting to the allegations, BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said the Congress is not able to digest the development work done by the BJP. “Gehlot should remember that in his government many ministers faced corruption allegations and were even jailed. Corruption was at peak in their government.”
On charge of two state chiefs, Pareek said, “Gehlot should look into the affairs in Congress, where supporters are naming their CM candidates; ours is a cadre-based party.”
JAIPUR:
MODI MAGIC WILL NOT WORK, SAYS GEHLOT
Gehlot said the popularity graph of Narendra Modi government has come down and it will not be a surprise, if the BJP faces a debacle in elections.