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Rahul Gandhi launches Congress campaign in Rajasthan, keeps mum on party's CM face

While he spoke on various issues attacking PM Modi and CM Vasundhara Raje, Rahul Gandhi did not name Congress' Chief Ministerial candidate as he addressed party workers in Jaipur on Saturday.

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Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched his party's campaign for the assembly polls in Rajasthan, due later this year, with a roadshow and an address to party workers. 

While he spoke on various issues that the Congress plans to use to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje during the campaign, the Congress chief did not name party's Chief Ministerial candidate. 

There had been some reports in recent past suggesting that certain leaders were quietly pushing their names as the party's chief ministerial candidate.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress' state unit president Sachin Pilot are two likely contenders for the top post if the Congress comes to power in the state. There have been rumours about factionalism in the state party unit over chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan. 

Earlier this week, party general secretary and state incharge Avinash Pande said the Assembly polls will be fought under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and the CM face would be decided post elections.

On Saturday, Gandhi skipped the issue while he attacked the BJP over various issues including the Rafale fighter jet deal. 

Directly accusing Modi of corruption in the deal for the French fighter planes, he said the prime minister had favoured his businessman friend Anil Ambani by getting him the contract.

The reference was to the business that foreign manufacturers are required to bring to Indian firms when a defence deal is signed with the government, under the country's offset policy.

Ambani has already rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegations and emphasised that the government had no role in the Rafale-manufacturing French firm Dassault picking up his company as a local partner.

India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2015 for the procurement of 36 Rafale planes.

In his address to party workers at the Ramlila grounds in Jaipur, Gandhi claimed that the Rafale deal had snatched job opportunities from young Indians, including engineers, as the planes will be manufactured abroad.

Gandhi said the price of the Rafale plane fixed now is about "three times" the amount agreed upon during the previous Congress-led government.

He said this corruption by Modi will become apparent over time.

The Congress chief claimed that only 450 youths got employment in the country every day while China was creating jobs for 50,000 people every 24 hours.

Our youths more honest, capable and stronger than the Chinese but it is a matter of shame that despite having almost equal population, they are getting fewer job opportunities, he said.

He questioned why Rs 2,30,000 crore could be written off as bad loans to 15 or 20 big industrialists, but the government could not help debt-ridden farmers.

When farmers are unable to pay back their loans, they are called defaulters and are jailed. But bad debts of big industrialists are called non-performing assets (NPA), he said.

He also accused the government of failing to ensure the safety of women.

Rahul later visited Govind Dev ji temple in Jaipur to seek blessings. 

(With PTI inputs)

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