Gehlot takes a page from Modi's book to grab eyes in poll-bound Rajasthan

A day after the election code of conduct set in Rajasthan, some people might find something amiss. Some others may just heave a sigh of relief.

For months now, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has not only been relentlessly smiling out of front pages of the newspapers, his development initiatives cloaked as news stories featuring only him on middle spreads of vernacular newspapers, invariably have grabbed eyeballs.      

In this aggressive publicity blitzkrieg, Gehlot, 72, seems to have taken out a page from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rulebook. Modi is ubiquitous, so has been Gehlot. 

Helped by political consultant DesignBoxed since January 2023, Gehlot seemed intent on changing his understated leadership style. He has learnt it the hard way. Despite his pioneering 2011 Free Medicine Scheme, he lost dearly in 2013, perhaps because of lack of publicity. So this time Gehlot has deluged the state with his posters, mehngai rahat camps, his personal interactions with beneficiaries, his social media presence and publicised them like never before.

For now it seems Gehlot is set for a direct confrontation with Modi, as BJP has refrained from having a CM face.  

There is no second rung of leadership in Congress for the moment. Even the tradition of having pictures of central leaders on the posters had been done away, giving an impression that Gehlot has the High Command’s tacit approval to project himself as the one and only contender for the top post.

Nobody is complaining at the moment. His rival in the party Sachin Pilot has buried the hatchet with Gehlot for now. With the 2020 rebellion against Gehlot still fresh in mind, Pilot can ill-afford to make any noises right now, more so with a seat in the prestigious Congress Working Committee. Although Gehlot has cut to size all his rivals in the party, he has not been able to restrain himself from taking a swipe at Pilot. He said recently, “Now he himself  (Sachin Pilot) has become the High Command” in context of Pilot’s role in ticket distribution. 

“Gehlot’s utterances are very unlike him. He has always been mild mannered. Now he has turned aggressive. Perhaps he has realised times have changed and he needs to put himself at the forefront. He no more minces words and emulates the Modi pattern.  It is no more the ‘first among equals’ now. Chief Ministers, like the Prime Minister, have become one stop power centres, with decentralisation a thing of the past now. One cannot afford to be a low-profile CM or PM,"  says Sunny Sebastian, political observer, senior journalist and an author. 

His outbursts have made many uncomfortable. Gehlot has had a run-in with the judiciary and even Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, whom he attacked over his frequent visits to the state.

The Chief Minister, however, had to apologise in court for his “ corruption in judiciary” remark. While apologising, he said his remarks were “not his thoughts.” Political observers say Gehlot’s flare-up is contrary to his Gandhian principles and soft spoken image.  

Gehlot, who is known to pursue welfarism at any cost, has offered a slew of right-based welfare schemes from Right to Health to to smart phones for women, has coined the slogan Kaam Kiya Dil se, Congress phir se almost matching it with Modi’s “Modi ki Guarantee” slogan. Ironically, just like Modi, all the welfare measures are being publicised only on Gehlot’s names.

Interestingly Gehlot’s Rajasthan Mission-2030 for Rajasthan, which aims to make Rajasthan a developed state in the next seven years is on the lines of Modi’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047.  

Just as Modi emphasises his OBC caste and humble beginnings as chaiwala, Gehlot now highlights his Mali background, which falls under OBC category. He has said “The fact that I have been selected thrice itself is testimony to the inclusive politics of Rajasthan.”

But if Gehlot fails to ride over anti-incumbency, this may be his last chance to helm Rajasthan.