BJP leaders impose agenda in name of religion...challenge them to speak on our schemes: Gehlot ahead of polls

Jaipur/Kota: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Tuesday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders to speak on the work done by his government instead of talking about religion in election rallies.

Accusing the leaders of the opposition party of doing politics in the name of religion ahead of the November 25 Rajasthan assembly polls, Gehlot said the Congress was fighting the electoral battle on issues of development and welfare of the people.

'BJP leaders come and say provocative things in their speeches in the name of religion. They impose their agenda in the name of religion which is not a good tradition,' he said at Jaipur's Albert Hall after paying tributes to former prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru on his birth anniversary.

'I challenge them to speak on our schemes and programmes and the performance of the government instead of doing politics in the name of religion... If they have something to criticise our development works with, they should do it but it is not a good thing to do provocative things,' Gehlot added.

'We made important laws, gave 10 guarantees in inflation relief camps, our Covid-19 management was excellent, Rajasthan is first in north India and second in the country in economic growth. We delivered good governance in five years. Development is our agenda and we are contesting elections on this,' he told reporters.

Gehlot later left for Kota to launch the 'Guarantee Yatra' in the division, participate in roadshows in favour of Congress candidates Shanti Dhariwal, Rakhi Gautam and Naimuddin Guddu, and address a public meeting at Thermal Circle.

Speaking to media persons at the Kota airport, he said, 'We are asking for votes on the basis of developmental work and we want an issue-based contest as we don't have enmity with anyone...'

Whenever BJP leaders come, they talk as if they were 'pelting stones', Gehlot claimed.

Exuding confidence that the Congress will emerge victorious in the assembly polls, the chief minister said, 'We believe that the public will repeat our government on the basis of our work.'

Polling in all 200 assembly constituencies of the state will take place on November 25 and results will be declared on December 3.