Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, while campaigning in poll-bound Rajasthan on October 25, said the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) knows that talking about religion and caste during the elections “will get it votes”.
The remarks were made by Gandhi while addressing an election rally, alongside Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in Jhunjuna district. The promises made by the Gehlot government are “implemented on the ground”, whereas, those announced by the BJP-ruled Centre are “hollow”, she told the gathering.
Gandhi said that it was the responsibility of the voters to hold the “leaders accountable”, and identify those who are resorting to communal politics to shed away their accountability.
“The truth is that there are people who indulge in the politics of religion and that is where their accountability ends. They have understood that during elections, they should talk about religion as everyone’s sentiments are connected to it … and that will get them votes,” news agency PTI quoted her as saying.
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“They have understood that there is no need to work, just talk about religions and castes and that will get them votes,” Gandhi further said.
Meanwhile, Gehlot, at the rally, announced two key poll promises to the voters. If the Congress is re-elected, the government will provide gas cylinders at ₹500 each to 1.05 crore families in the state, and an annual honorarium of ₹10,000 would be provided to the woman head of a family.
All the 200 assembly segments in Rajasthan will be contested in a single-phase election on November 25. The results will be declared on December 3.
Rajasthan, since 1993, has shown a pattern of voting out the incumbent government at every five years. The Congress, which is hopeful of breaking the jinx, is seen to be contesting under the leadership of Gehlot. The BJP, which has issued a poll ticket to former CM Vasundhara Raje, has refrained from announcing a chief ministerial candidate.
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Updated: 25 Oct 2023, 06:38 PM IST