Congress will contest Rajasthan polls on 7 'guarantees': CM Gehlot

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the Congress will be contesting assembly elections on seven pre-poll promises announced by him for people of the state.

He claimed that the BJP could not set an agenda for the elections this time and that the opposition party is grappling with infighting.

Addressing a press conference here, Gehlot also hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah who held three election rallies in Nagaur on Tuesday, saying that he does not know the issues of the state.

Gehlot said that seven significant 'guarantees' (pre-poll promises) have been promised to the people of the state and when the Congress government is formed after the November 25 elections, guarantee camps will be organised.

“One thousand guarantee camps across Rajasthan will be set up, intending to reach out to two crore individuals if the party forms the government,” he said.

The chief minister stressed that his government had successfully implemented the budget, emphasizing commitment to fulfilling promises.

He said that more announcements will be made in the party's election manifesto.

Gehlot has announced the Congress' seven guarantees if it retains power in the state -- an annual honorarium of Rs 10,000 to women head of family, cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500 to 1.05 crore families, purchase of dung from cattle rearers at Rs 2 per kg, law for old pension scheme for government employees, laptop or tablet to students taking admission in government colleges, insurance cover up to Rs 15 lakh per family to compensate losses due to natural calamity, and school education in English medium.

He also accused the BJP of misleading the people and said that the election campaign would centre on genuine Rajasthan issues.

Responding to the statements by Home Minister Shah in his rallies, Gehlot questioned Shah's understanding of the state's issues. He said that Shah has no idea about the issues of the state.

Targeting the Centre over recent ED raids in the state, Gehlot said the Modi government is misusing the central agencies against some Congress leaders for political gains.

“They have ED and we have seven guarantees,” he said.

Gehlot also lashed out at BJP candidate from Jaipur's Jhotwara constituency Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore for his comments against the Congress, and said that he was not able to do campaigning in the constituency.

Rathore had recently called the Congress leadership 'anti-national' and 'selfish'.

Earlier in the day, Gehlot held a road show after the party launched the 'Guarantee Yatra' to make people aware about its seven promises.

The yatra began from Moti Dungari Ganesh temple and passed through Panchwati circle, Pink Square mall, Ghatgate, Sanganeri gate, Govind Devji temple, and Badi Chaupad before culminating at Chhoti Chaupad.

Party candidates of different assembly constituencies, including Archana Sharma from Malviya Nagar, participated in the yatra which will also be taken out in other districts.