Rahul Gandhi (right) and Ashok Gehlot (left).
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi will finally campaign in Rajasthan for four days in the last eight days of electioneering. This will mark his first visit to the state after elections were declared over a month ago.
The former Congress president, who is considered the party's topmost campaigner, will woo voters in the state on November 16, 19, 21 and 22. The last date of campaigning is November 23 -- two days ahead of polling for the 200-strong Assembly.
Rahul's absence in Rajasthan for over a month had triggered speculation about his reluctance to campaign for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who had sabotaged the party High Command's plans to install his bête noire, Sachin Pilot, in his place when he would be elevated as party chief.
It is also speculated that the Congress's assessment about its tough chances in the state may have influenced Rahul's campaign plans.
Though he will be campaigning only for four days, Rahul will be based in Jaipur for the next few days as the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, has shifted to the Rajasthan capital to avoid air pollution in Delhi.
"Chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi is in Jaipur for the next few days to avoid the air pollution in New Delhi. It is a purely personal visit. Rahul Gandhi will be based in Jaipur and campaign in Chhattisgarh on November 15 and in Rajasthan on November 16, 19, 21 and 22," Congress General Secretary (Organisation) Jairam Ramesh posted on 'X' on Tuesday night.
Besides Rahul, star campaigners for the grand old party -- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra -- will each hold rallies over three days.
Incidentally, Rahul has been in Telangana for at least five days since the elections were announced on October 9, participating in 14 roadshows, public meetings, and corner meetings though the state goes to polls only on November 30, five days after voting in Rajasthan.
Rahul was in Rajasthan for a programme last on September 23 while party chief Mallikarjun Kharge held two campaign programmes, and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held three rallies in the past month.
He had been in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh for several days in the past month and had held around a dozen each campaign programmes in the two states. In Mizoram, he had attended four programmes.
As a controversy rose over Rahul's absence in Rajasthan, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal sought to put the blame on a "section of the BJP-sponsored propaganda-driven media", alleging that they were "spreading canards about our top leadership’s activity" in Rajasthan.
"This propaganda is being spread against us while there is complete silence about how PM Modi did not even have the courage to campaign in Mizoram. It is extremely unethical and mischievous that these premeditated hit jobs cast aspersions on our unflinching commitment towards Rajasthan," he posted on 'X' on Sunday.
He also recalled that Rahul walked for 18 days across Rajasthan during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which was one of the longest stretches of the walkathon.
"The Congress's vision that is being implemented in Rajasthan and its guarantees for the upcoming elections is an outcome of Rahul-ji’s conversations with the poor, youth and marginalised people of Rajasthan. Our entire party, right from the booth level to the Congress President, is working unitedly to ensure our government is repeated in Rajasthan,” he said.
“There is no doubt that we will return to power with a resounding victory -- because the Congress has an unbreakable, solid bond with the eight crore people of Rajasthan. A bond that is forged by decades of public service and revolutionary governance," he added.