india

Updated: Dec 17, 2018 08:19 IST

Congress legislature party leader Ashok Gehlot, who will take oath on Monday as the Rajasthan chief minister, said on Sunday that outgoing CM Vasundhara Raje failed to fulfil people’s expectations despite getting a huge mandate in the last assembly elections.

Addressing newspersons after reviewing preparations at Albert Hall for the oath ceremony, Gehlot said Raje could have done a lot for the state if she wanted. “What is the financial condition of the state is known to all. BJP got a huge mandate in last elections and people had expectations from Raje but she was careless and passed five years in carelessness.”

He continued, “We are not responsible for her differences with PM Narendra Modi and BJP national chief Amit Shah; she should have resolved the issues with them. Raje was always insecure, and I don’t know what circumstances were there but she was not able to work despite having experience.”

Gehlot said she did not hold public hearing at district and state level, development was stalled and many projects, such as refinery, broad gauge and coach factory, were sidelined.

Emphasising federal system of governance, he said the Centre should treat opposition governments, be it in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or Madhya Pradesh, on a par with the BJP-ruled states.

He said, “Government of India should send a message that ‘don’t worry even if our government is not there our support will be there’; this is what we expect from the Prime Minister.”

BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said Gehlot should perform better as he has been given the chance to become the CM. “Earlier also his government was there but BJP had got a huge mandate of 163 seats. Now they should come up to people’s expectations and fulfil their promises, be it loan waiver or jobs to youth.”

Pareek said the BJP has fulfilled its promises. “PM Narendra Modi has always taken decisions in the interest of the country, focusing on villages, poor and farmers.” If the Gehlot government implements the Centre’s schemes, there will be development in the state, he said.

Gehlot, AICC general secretary Avinash Pande, and other party leaders on visited Albert Hall and inspected the preparations. Later Sachin Pilot also visited the venue.

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