Gehlot demands PM Modi guarantee that Rajasthan schemes will not be discontinued if BJP wins assembly polls

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should guarantee that the Congress government's schemes will not discontinued if the BJP comes to power in the state. Taking a jibe at the prime minister, Gehlot dubbed him as an 'ustad' of marketing.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should guarantee that the Congress government's schemes will not discontinued if the BJP comes to power in the state.

Only then he will have the right to campaign here and ask for votes, Gehlot said while addressing a gathering at the start of his nine-day public outreach programme.

Hitting out at central ministers touring the poll-bound state, the chief minister alleged that they do not have any job in Delhi as the prime minister has started a 'new system where RSS functionary sits in departments' to get the work done.

Gehlot also targeted Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, questioning his 'frequent' visits to Rajasthan.

The chief minister said that the Modi government should first implement the public welfare schemes implemented by the state at the central level and then ask for votes.

'I would like to request Prime Minister Modi ji that whenever you come next time, these days you are giving guarantee, so you give a guarantee that the schemes that we have started will not be stopped if (BJP) government is formed,' Gehlot said.

He said that Modi should say that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), laws enacted by the Congress government and the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme will remain.

'PM Modi ji should say this here then he has the right to campaign here and ask for votes,' Gehlot said at the interaction held at Birla Auditorium here.

Taking a jibe at the prime minister, Gehlot dubbed him as an 'ustad' of marketing.

'Marketing professionals are called gurus. Whether they are a guru or not, PM Modi is definitely a guru. He is a marketing guru in the entire country. You know his language, his style and speaking manner,' Gehlot said, Highlighting the achievements of his government at a rally on Monday in Jaipur, PM Modi had said, “I do what I say. Therefore, my guarantee has substance. This is the track record of the last nine years.” Assembly elections in the state are due by the year-end.

Gehlot said, 'The steps we have taken, first implement them in the Centre. Then you come here. We will welcome you. And say it that all the decisions taken by the Rajasthan for public welfare have been implemented in the Centre and then ask for votes.' Gehlot said that Vice President Dhankhar has come 5-7 times in one month to Rajasthan and 'people understand it well and they will give a reply to it'.

'The vice president is moving up and down the. Today, he will visit five places. Four helicopters and five visits. Now that you are coming frequently, doing tours. There is no logic. What is the logic?' he said.

He said that it has been said that the governor, a minister or officials should come as a protocol to welcome the vice president as Rajasthan is his home.

Gehlot said one after the other Union ministers were coming to the state.

'Anyways, ministers do not have any work in Delhi. For work, an RSS functionary has been made to sit in the department. Now, it is up to him and the secretary (to work). Modi ji has created a new system after independence,' Gehlot said in a swipe at the prime minister.

He said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who recently campaigned in the state and had said that all schemes run by the ongress government will be stopped if the BJP government is formed, should explain his party's stand on the Cheeranjivi Health Insurance Scheme, OPS, Rs 500 cylinder, Annapurna food kits and free electricity to domestic consumers and farmers.