The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
‘ Congress is disinterested... Phase 1 polling fell because their voters did not come out’
RAJASTHAN BJP chief C P Joshi is facing a tough contest from the Chittorgarh Lok Sabha seat, which he won the last two times, with both the Rajputs and opium farmers angry . The seat votes on April 26.
Around 90% of opium farming in India is done in Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh districts in Rajasthan — both fall under Chittorgarh — and Neemuch and Mandsaur of Madhya Pradesh.
Last year, angr y over l ow government prices for opium, the farmers had held protests over t hree months. Around 30% of t he opium fa r mers in Rajasthan are Rajputs, adding to t he grumblings within the community.
Mangilal Meghwal, coordinator of Bharatiya Afeem Vikas Kisan Samiti, says farmers’ patience with the Centre has run out. “Bhajpa ne afeem ki kheti ko note or vote ki fasal bana diya hai ( The BJP has reduced opium to a harvest of notes and votes).
With Congress candidate Udai Lal Anajana taking up the issue aggressively, Joshi has been trying to assuage them as well as the Rajputs, roping in leaders from the community to campaign for him. Joshi is also counting on the Modi government schemes, and taking heart from the fact that in the 2023 Assembly polls, the BJP won six of the eight segments falling under the Chittorgarh seat.
Excerpts from an interview on how the party is placed in the state, and he in his constituency:
There was a 6% fall in the turnout in Phase 1 of Rajasthan polls. Why do you think this happened?
People do not trust the Congress and its leaders. For instance, Rahul Gandhi has left ( the family bastion of) Amethi and is contesting from Wayanad ( in Kerala). The low turnout is because Congress supporters were disappointed and did not come out to vote.
Many Congress leaders have joined the BJP. Has this angered old BJP workers?
There is no anger among our leaders as everyone follows the lead of ( PM Narendra) Modi ji.
Communities like Rajputs, Jats and Meenas are believed to be angry with the BJP. Do you think this has brought local issues and communities to the fore in the elections?
For the BJP, there are only four castes – poor, women, farmers and youths. And they are with us. There is no such anger against Modi or the BJP.
At a rally in Banswara, the PM alleged that the Congress will distribute wealth to ‘ infiltrators and those with more children’. The Opposition has accused him of communal polarisation.
It is the Congress that resorts to divisive politics by introducing special laws for a particular community. How can they say minorities have the first right to a country’s resources ( the BJP attributes this to a speech by former PM Manmohan Singh)?
How do you plan to tackle challenges in seats where the Congress has allied with regional parties?
We face no challenge. We will win all 25 seats in Rajasthan.
The Opposition has claimed that you have not focussed on your seat.
It is the public of my constituency who wanted me to go to other parts of Rajasthan so that the ( previous) corrupt Congress government could be taken care of in the state Assembly elections. I am connected to the ground.
The Congress has been raising the issue of opium farmers and their problems.
The BJP government has always worked for farmers. In fact, the Ashok Gehlot- led Congress had written to the Centre to ban opium farming in Rajasthan. So, these are just election tricks.