Ashok Gehlot braces for a year of challenges as Rajasthan CM

For the newly-formed Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, the year ahead would be challenging as it shall have to perform, show results and fulfil promises that his Congress party made in it's manifesto and also face three elections in a row, that would show the mood of the people.

First the Gehlot government has to face the Lok Sabha polls in April-May which is the biggest challenge in front of him. Gehlot has claimed that the Congress would win over 20 Lok Sabha seats out of the 25 in Rajasthan — the biggest state of the country in terms of the area — defeating BJP badly. To achieve this feat, CM Gehlot along with his deputy Sachin Pilot, who is also the Rajasthan Congress unit head, shall have to work tirelessly, plan strategy and show results to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi whose coronation as prime minister depends on the contribution from the desert state.

The model code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections in 2014 came into force from March 5 which leaves the Gehlot government with nearly two months to speed up the administration and implement its poll promises. Apart from this, the government will have to come out with its first budget in February.

In its Jan Ghoshna Patra, the party had made 426 announcements in 27 chapters. Of these, major ones are farmers' loan waiver and monthly allowance to unemployed youths. How and when these promises will be fulfilled would impact the poll prospects of the Congress in state.

In November 2019, five months after Lok Sabha election, Gehlot government sets to face local bodies polls. 46 local bodies including six municipal corporations of Jaipur, Kota, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur and Bharatpur will go to polls in November.

The result of the election will judge the mood of the people, mainly those in urban area. It will be seen if people vote with full heart to Congress or shifting their loyalty to BJP. In the areas that go to election Gehlot government once again will have to face the restriction of model code of conduct.

Before these two major elections, Gehlot also has to win Ramgarh Assembly election. The state election department had postponed elections here till further order after the demise of BSP candidate Lakshman Singh.

The Election Commission of India is yet to declare date for the election. The opposition BJP will be eager to win the election, dropping a message ahead of Lok Sabha election.

CM & CEREMONY

• Gehlot has become the fourth leader to hold the chief minister’s post in Rajasthan for a third time.
   
• He became the chief minister for the first time in 1998 and held the post again in 2008. 
   
• This is the first time that oath-taking ceremony took place at Albert hall instead of Raj Bhawan.