Gehlot says govt is careless about people protesting, spread of diseases

It has been a tradition that if anybody has any complaint against the government, the complainant stages sit-in protests or goes on hunger strikes. But Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s government does not care for these things, alleged former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who is also the All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) national general secretary.

Gehlot was speaking to the media at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur on Monday, where he had gone to break the agitation of Congress MLA Dheeraj Gurjar. Gurjar was on agitation for the last 12 days and was admitted to SMS Hospital after his health deteriorated. Gehlot said, “We had to request Gurjar to break his fast, telling him that this is an insensitive government, and we are with you to fight for your demands.” He said, “Therefore, I tell everybody not to sit on fast in her (Raje’s) government.” Gehlot said that the government is insensitive and people have decided to send chief minister Raje home in the forthcoming elections.

He said that on October 5, the Election Commission was to announce the model code of conduct and on behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the timing of the press conference was changed to evening, earlier fixed at 12.30 pm. This was done to facilitate the PM from making announcements, he added. The Election Commission is working on the government’s signals, which it should not do, Gehlot said.

Gehlot further attacked the BJP government, saying that because of its carelessness, many people died due to swine flu. Even a BJP MLA from Mandalgarh died of swine flu and many other leaders were infected, but the government was least bothered. “I am seeing for the first time that people are personally annoyed with any chief minister,” he said.

On the spread of Zika virus, the chief secretary should work on addressing problems in the health department, said Gehlot.

BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said that the BJP government has always been sensitive towards people’s issues. “It is wrong to allege on the Election Commission, as it is a constitutional body and takes it own decisions. It has been a habit of Congress to allege on the ECI. Earlier too they had alleged on electronic voting machines,” Pareek said. He said the government was alert to contain seasonal diseases.

JAIPUR:

The Udaipur assembly constituency is a BJP bastion for decades. Since 1993, its nominee Gulab Chand Kataria has won all five successive assembly elections from the seat.

Issues like poor condition of roads, civic problems and unemployment will put the ruling party to the test this time, locals said.

Kataria, who is currency holding home portfolio in the Vasundhara Raje government, is likely to be nominated by the BJP again in the assembly segment that has sizable number of voters from Vaishya, Brahmins, Rajput and Muslims communities. At present, this constituency has over 2.5 lakh voters.

Congress leaders such as Girija Vyas, Pankaj Sharma, Suresh Shrimali, Nilima Sukhadia, Sajjan Katara, Dinesh Shrimali and Mohsin Khan are vying for party ticket to contest the assembly election to be held on December 7.

The Congress had done well in the seat in elections held just after the Independence. Its influence in this segment started to fade in early 1970s.

The Congress won assembly elections from the seat in 1951, 1957, 1962 and 1967. In 1972, the Bharatiya Jan Sangh candidate won from the seat while the Janata Party nominee won in 1977.

Revamp of Ahar river and demand of a high court bench in Udaipur are other major challenges Kataria will face in the state poll.

Bhagwan Prajapat, a voter in the constituency, said: “People want development. The present government did not bring any positive change. Unemployment, unrests, stricks and demonstrations affected the state’s growth.”

Zuber Khan, another voter, said: “The people are wise enough to take their decision. No one can now fool them on bases of caste and anything else. The people want growth.”

Home minister Kataria is banking on development work done by him to woo voters.

Locals, however, are unhappy with poor condition of roads in the city and other civic problems.

Congress leader Dinesh Shrimali, who fought against Kataria in the 2013 assembly Male Female

Previous election

Winner:

Gulab Chand Kataria, BJP Nearest rival:

Dinesh Shrimali, Congress

elections, said the people, especially those living in the walled city area, were facing civic problems such as lack of sanitation and potholes.

Shrimali said his party would contest in the assembly election by highlighting issues such as poor road networks, unavailability of drinking water facility, frequent power cuts, lack of cleanliness, unemployment.

Shrimali said the BJP government