Lack of chemistry between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot and multiple factions within the party were largely responsible for Congress’s drubbing in Rajasthan.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Congress lost ground in the state that ousted the BJP in assembly elections held last year. On its part, BJP put up a show of unity and relied on the Modi wave to win maximum seats.

Exit polls had predicted 22 to 23 seats for the BJP-led alliance NDA and two to three seats for Congress in Rajasthan, which has 25 Lok Sabha seats.

The election campaign in Rajasthan was focused on a spate of crimes such as mob-lynchings and the gangrape in Alwar. The mob-lynching of Akbar Khan in the name of cow vigilantism and the brutal gang rape of a woman, in front of her husband, were among the key poll issues in the state. Even though Congress president Rahul Gandhi assured action was taken against the culprits, it came a bit late.

In addition to this, parties highlighted the agrarian distress, unemployment and lack of welfare schemes. 

On its part, the Congress-led government highlighted its multi-crore loan waiver scheme covering 19 lakh farmers.

However, the BJP blamed said that the fine print was far from flattering. About 32 per cent farmers, who were covered under the scheme, have had loan waivers between Rs 50 and Rs 15,000. About 3.2 lakh farmers have had loan waivers of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. 

The BJP spearheaded robust campaigning against the loan waiver, saying that the Congress-led government had not offered anything new but what the BJP government had promised in 2018. On its part, the Congress could not project its Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), which promised the poorest 20 per cent of Indian families an annual income support of a uniform amount of Rs 72,000 each, effectively.

Further,  Gujjars are believed to have expressed their anger against Congress for its failure to make  Sachin Pilot, a Gujjar, the chief minister despite assurances. However, Rajputs of Rajsamand have said that they had a problem with former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and not with the BJP. And as such, they voted for the BJP, expressing confidence in Modi’s leadership.

Upset over the government’s move of arresting innocents during a Bharat bandh and the gangrape of a Dalit woman, BSP chief Mayawati has warned that her party will withdraw its support in Rajasthan too.  

ROBUST BJP CAMPAIGN

  • BJP spearheaded robust campaigning against the loan waiver, saying that the Congress-led government had not offered anything new  
  • On its part, the Congress could not project its Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) in the state effectively