Rajasthan polls: Manvendra Singh’s entry gives Congress the edge over BJP among Rajputs

The MLA has considerable influence in Marwar, which sends 30 legislators to the Assembly.

Banking on anti-incumbency sentiment against the Vasundhara Raje-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan to help it put up a winning performance in the December 7 state election, the Congress received a shot in the arm with former BJP leader Manvendra Singhjoining its ranks on October 17. Congress leaders and political pundits say the Rajput leader’s entry gives the Congress a clear edge over the BJP in the Marwar region, which sends 30 legislators to the state’s 200-strong Assembly.

Manvendra Singh, the MLA from Sheo, is the son of former Union minister and senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh. He quit the BJP in September, saying that his decision to join the party had been a mistake. With his departure, the BJP no longer has a Rajput leader with a high evel of popularity in the state. Rajputs account for around 7% of the state’s population.

In previous elections, influential Rajput leaders such as Jaswant Singh and the late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had boosted the BJP’s electoral prospects in Marwar, which comprises the districts of Jodhpur, Barmer, Nagaur, Sirohi, Pali, and Jalore. On average, 15 to 17 Rajput legislators have been voted in to the 200-member state assembly during each election, most of them coming from the BJP. Of the 27 Rajputs elected to the House in 2013, for instance, 24 were from the BJP.

However, that support began to crumble after the BJP denied Jaswant Singh a Lok Sabha ticket in the 2014 general elections and decided instead to field Colonel Sonaram Choudhary, a former Congress leader and a Jat. Jaswant Singh chose to contest as an independent candidate. He lost the election by a margin of 80,000 votes. The Rajputs were miffed with the BJP’s treatment of Jaswant Singh. After Jaswant Singh slipped into a coma in August 2014, Manvendra Singh started mobilising votersagainst the BJP.

Why Rajputs are angry with Raje, BJP

Evidence of Manvendra Singh’s popularity was apparent on September 22, when his Swabhiman Rally in Barmer drew lakhs of supporters. In fact, resentment among Rajputs with the ruling BJP is so intense that members of the community threw stones at Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s bus during her Gaurav Yatra in August, forcing her to complete the Marwar leg of her campaign tour in a helicopter.

Other factors have also contributed to Rajput anger against Raje and the BJP. In July 2017, they violently protested against the killing of Rajput gangster Anandpal Singh by the state police. Singh was facing murder charges. His family claimed he had wanted to surrender and that the encounter was fake. Eventually, the Central government gave in to the community’s demand and ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry. The fact that no Rajput BJP legislator came out in support of Anandpal Singh’s family angered the community.

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Telangana people won’t vote for Congress’: KTR hits back at Rahul Gandhi

IT minister KT Rama Rao slammed Rahul Gandhi for criticising the TRS party at Bhainsa and Kamareddy public meetings on Saturday and asked the AICC chief to read up on the history before addressing a public meeting.

Terming Rahul’s words as lies at a press meet in Telangana Bhavan, Rao refuted the allegations of removing Dr BR Ambedkar for Pranahita-Chevella project in the pretext of redesigning it. He also said that the project is being constructed aiming to provide water to erstwhile Adilabad district and the TRS government has not increased its cost to Rs 1 lakh.

KTR also said that the ruling party has not shown any favouritism to any party like Congress party, which targetted Muslim community for their votes. Recalling the attacks on Sikhs in 1984, KTR lambasted Rahul saying that he does not have any right to speak about minorities.

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‘We are in trouble there to defeat the BJP in Chhattisgarh’: Congress admits

When a senior Congress leader was asked about his party’s prospects in the three poll-bound Hindi heartland states, he had this assessment to offer: “We should win Rajasthan, it’s touch-and-go in Madhya Pradesh but I am not sure about Chhattisgarh… we are in trouble there.”

In Chhattisgarh, Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. Madhya Pradesh will vote on November 28 and Rajasthan on December 7. The votes will be counted on December 11.

Reports from Chhattisgarh corroborate the Congress leader’s assessment. The Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party government has been in power for three consecutive terms. After 15 years at the helm, it would be safe to assume that the government faces anti-incumbency pressure and voter fatigue, which should make it easy for the Congress to dislodge it. On the contrary, the Congress has failed to get its act together and may just end up gifting another term to the BJP.

“It is a fact that the Congress campaign against the BJP here lacks punch,” said Chhattisgarh-based social activist Vikram Singhal. “Its leaders have not raised issues with the ferocity expected of an Opposition party that has been out of power for 15 years.”

Congress leaders have been attacking individuals and pointing to their misdemeanours but there is no concerted effort to take on the government’s anti-people policies and build a larger narrative, he said. “For instance, the Congress has failed to expose how this government has virtually sold the state’s rich natural resources to corporates and industrial houses,” he said. “No one talks about the large sums of money spent on building a new capital city, which is barely occupied by a handful of families.”

Chhattisgarh Congress leaders speak in the same vein. They admit that though there are a host of subjects on which they can pin down the BJP, their attack has, at best, been lacklustre. They say many senior party leaders have shied away from taking on the ruling dispensation because they are dependent on government handouts while others are virtually seen as an extension of the Raman Singh cabinet.

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel's brush with controversy has not helped the Congress. (Credit: @INCChhattisgarh / Twitter)

Weak leadership

Most importantly, the Congress is handicapped by a weak state leadership.

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel had barely settled into his job when he found himself in the eye of a storm. He was arrested in September in connection with the distribution of a pornographic CD allegedly featuring state minister Rajesh Munat. Munat has claimed that the CD is fake and an attempt to defame him.

Days later, Baghel was in the dock again, this time over an audio sting in which he is allegedly heard demanding money for tickets. The audio clip was delivered to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi set up a five-member committee to scrutinise the recommendations of the state unit for the distribution of tickets – undermining Baghel’s position.

While the Congress is struggling to set its house in order, the BJP is moving ahead confidently, aware that it has several advantages over its political opponent. The party has ample resources, a well-oiled organisation, and governments both in the state and at the Centre. In addition, Raman Singh’s personal popularity has not been dented.

Poaching strategy

On the flip side, there is growing anger against BJP ministers and legislators. Taking note of this, BJP president Amit Shah announced that 50% of sitting MLAs would not be repeated. The party hopes to duck anti-incumbency against individual legislators by denying them tickets and fielding fresh faces. At the same time, BJP strategists are said to have identified seats where the Congress has a strong base with the express purpose of poaching the rival party’s candidates from these constituencies.

The BJP set the ball rolling with the induction of Ram Dayal Uike, working president of the Congress state unit and a top Adivasi leader, on October 13. Others could join him as the BJP’s “Operation Congress todo” (Operation break the Congress) is expected to gather momentum as the election draws near. It can be assumed that money power will be used for this campaign. The focus will be on Adivasi leaders as the Congress had done well among this community in the last Assembly election.

In fact, there is a growing fear in the Congress that the BJP will whisk away its candidates close to the date of filing nominations. This had happened twice in 2014. A day after the Congress had declared Bhagirath Prasad its candidate from Bhind Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, he had switched sides and contested as a BJP candidate. Months later, Manturam Pawar, the Congress candidate from Antagarh Assembly seat in Chhattisgarh, had ditched the party for the BJP after filing his nomination.

The Ajit Jogi factor

There is a common factor in these developments: former chief minister and rebel Congress leader Ajit Jogi. Both Uike and Pawar are known to be close to Jogi, who launched his party, the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, in 2016. Known as the BJP’s B-team, Jogi worked in tandem with Raman Singh even when he was with the Congress. Now that he is out of the party fold, his primary aim is to destroy the Congress, political watchers say.

“Jogi will go to any length to ensure the defeat of Congress candidates and it is the same with the Congress,” said Singhal. In the process, he will help the BJP. Since the difference of vote share between the BJP and the Congress is a mere 0.7% and the margins of victory are narrow, the presence of a third party in a bipolar state will work to the saffron party’s advantage. The BJP is banking on Jogi to disturb the Congress’ Adivasi vote as the former chief minister has a substantial following among the Satnami community.

Moreover, Jogi’s partnership with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has added a fresh dimension to electoral dynamics in Chhattisgarh. The two leaders have the potential to wean away a chunk of Adivasi and Dalit votes, which will hurt the Congress as it is also wooing the same social constituency. It was with an eye on consolidating the Dalit vote in its favour that the Congress had approached Mayawati for a tie-up in the Assembly polls. But the talks fell through and Mayawati announced in September that she had decided to go with Jogi instead.

While the Jogi-Mayawati alliance deals a blow to the Congress’ plan of winning over the Scheduled Castes, it could also have consequences for the BJP, which made major gains in Scheduled Caste reserved constituencies in the 2013 election. The BJP is, therefore, taking no chances and has set its sights on Congress candidates who can be persuaded to switch sides.

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Congress has lost ground in MP , says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked Congress days ahead of Madhya Pradesh assembly elections and said that the opposition has lost ground in Madhya Pradesh. Speaking to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, Modi said, “Opposition has no issues to fight on Madhya Pradesh. Our development agendas have disappointed them that they are resorting to useless means of opposing. We have made Madhya Pradesh ‘Bemisaal Rajya’ from what people called it as ‘Beemaru Rajya’. Congress has lost ground in MP.” Assembly elections at Madhya Pradesh are due in November 28.

Fight Over Party Tickets Could Be A Problem For Rajasthan Congress

In Rajasthan, where assembly elections are scheduled for December 7, Congress has managed to put up a united face by bringing former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and state Congress chief Sachin Pilot together. But it is still trying to deal with the squabble over tickets.

At a rally in Jaipur in August, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said no outsider would get a ticket to the assembly election. “I can guarantee you this time that not a single parachute candidate will be able to get the ticket. If any such candidate comes, I will cut the rope,” Mr Gandhi told party workers.

The party’s state election committee has put the ball in Rahul Gandhi’s court for a final decision on distribution of tickets.

Congress leaders claimed a decision on candidates at the local level could backfire at a time when the party has managed to create some political buzz in the state, which usually votes the BJP and the Congress alternately to power.

Mr Gehlot, in his ‘Sankalp Rally’ speeches, had urged Congress workers and leaders to support the candidates who are picked. He said only one person could get a Congress ticket from a seat and all party men should help that candidate win.

Kumari Selja, who was appointed chairperson of the party’s screening committee for the election in Rajasthan in June, has said only “winnable” candidates will get the tickets.

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Congress ‘Sankalp Yatra’ in Chhattisgarh soon

The Congress will soon take out a bus tour named ‘ Sankalp Yatra’ across Chhattisgarh with the aim of showcasing the state unit’s unity.

The yatra aims at fanning the campaign against the state’s BJP government by presenting the alternative policy plank.

All senior Congress leaders of the state are expected to join the yatra, which is expected to be flagged of by party president Rahul Gandhi. He will also join the yatra at several places, party sources said.

“The logistics for the Congress Sankalp yatra across Chhattisgarh is being finalised. Congress president Rahul ji will specially visit the state to flag off the yatra”, said a senior party leader.

The details of the proposed yatra was finalised in a meeting Gandhi held with some senior PCC and AICC leaders in Delhi a couple of days ago where the overall election preparations of the state Congress was also reviewed.

The state Congress is likely to have an alliance with the Gondwana Loktantrick Party in a few seats.

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Modi in Rajasthan: PM accuses Congress of playing ‘vote bank politics’, lists Vasundhara Raje govt’s triumphs

Accusing the Congress of working for only one family and practising vote-bank politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the people to keep it away from power, breaking the state’s tradition of alternating power between the Congress and the BJP every five years.

Addressing a meeting marking the completion of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s month-long “journey for pride”, he said “while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not have the habit of lying as it works on the mantra of ‘sarva jana hitay‘ and ‘sarva jana sukhay’ (interest of all), the opposition is fond of doing vote-bank politics”.

“Those who do vote bank politics, they enjoy the issue of Hindu-Muslim, old-youth, forward-backward, this caste that caste and man and woman,” he said in his address to party activists in this religious town, where the BJP lost a prestigious Lok Sabha bye-election earlier this year.

“And this vote bank politics is not limited to elections, but it keeps on going for long.””Wherever they get the opportunity they try to divide the society,” Modi said about Congress adding that it was easy to divide but very hard to unite. “And the BJP believes in uniting the society,” he said.

He said that the result of the vote-bank politics was that the poor who voted for them keep on cursing them for five years.

Modi also said that Rajasthan has a tradition of alternating between Congress and BJP every five years and expressed confidence that this time that tradition would be broken.

“This time it should be changed. This time, let us keep Congress away from power in the state and elect the BJP,” he said.

“The BJP government in the state believes in accountability and thus we believe in presenting the report card of the works our governments has done, whether it’s Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh.

“The BJP never hides its face while giving the report card to the people. But the Congress keeps on spreading lies,” Modi said.

“For 60 years the Congress followed the tradition of vote-bank politics,” he said.

Accusing Congress leaders and workers of worshipping one family, Modi said: “When I came here, (Chief Minister) Vasundhara Raje told me that the Congress leaders are not present in the Assembly, they do not raise any questions, they do not participate in debates.

“They do not do anything like this because they are busy serving one family, they are busy in worshipping one family.

“For them their high command is one family, but for the BJP our high command is seven and half crore people of the state. Should such forces be allowed again to come to power?” asked Modi and answered himself, “We don’t have to allow them to come to power again.”

Modi said that the Congress which failed in the government in the last 60 years also failed as the opposition.

“Earlier I had said that there should be a clever opposition, dedicated to people, they should have sensibility of people’s problem, keep a tab on the government’s works, participate in debate and give ideas to the government.

“But it was unfortunate that they have not only failed in the government but they have also failed as an opposition.

“They don’t do hard work, thus they have taken the help of lies and false propaganda. And when we dare them for a debate they flee,” he added.

Modi said that after 60 years, the country is in the right direction. “And they should not be given another chance,” he said.

Attacking Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his hug in Lok Sabha, Modi said, “There are people who think that they can change the course of their politics with a hug.”

Modi also asked the Congress what had stopped them from increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for the farmers.

“Why didn’t you increase the MSP for farmers? Who stopped you from doing so?

“We (BJP) did that. We increased the MSP of the farmers and now you (Congress) people have a problem with the Modi government that how I did this. And now as nothing is left for the Congress they are, every morning, manufacturing a new lie,” he said.

Modi also said that about Rs 62,000 crore will go to farmers every year after every farming season. “Congress never thought for farmers. Farmers have now insurance for crops like never before. So they never dare to debate over development. Why is the Congress not fighting election on facts?” he asked.

Highlighting the works of his government, Modi said that it brought relief for women against triple talaq. “We do not discriminate on the basis of religion. I thank Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments for death sentence against rapists. Now the justice has been fast-tracked. And the demons with such mentality should be scared,” he said.

He also said that now 30 percent women are working in government departments, which is not seen in many of the developed nation yet. “Our government also gave maternity leave for 26 weeks,” he said.

Hailing the Rajasthan chief minister for implementing the Central Government’s task of electrifying all villages in the state, he said, “When Vasundhara Raje came to power, about 13 lakh people were living in the 18th century (darkness). We had promised electrification for all. We provided electricity to 13 lakh people. Those who are yet to get electricity, the Rajasthan government and the Centre are working for them,” he said.

Modi also said that about two lakh hectare will have irrigation facilities through water from Chambal. The work on the technical survey in 13 districts are on and after that we shall start the work so that 40 percent people of the state will get sweet water to drink,” he said.

The 200-member Rajasthan assembly will go to polls on December 7, where the BJP is in power. The term of the Rajasthan Assembly expires on 20 January, 2019.

Slamming the Congress for questioning the second anniversary of the surgical strike as Parakram Parv, Modi said: “When last week I came to Rajasthan to pay tribute to the brave soldiers, they spread lies that I was going to sound the poll bugle.

“But I was here to celebrate the valour of our armed forces, I was here to celebrate the second anniversary of the surgical strike. “

He said that the surgical strike which was carried out in September 2016 showed the valour of our soldiers.

“But what has happened to Congress? Has politics pushed them to such a low that they belittle the surgical strike? They should feel ashamed for questioning the surgical strike,” he said.

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No chief minister has returned to power in Rajasthan in 25 years

Rajasthan has alternated between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in the last five assembly elections. Voters here haven’t elected the same party to power for two terms in a row. This is the Congress’s biggest advantage and BJP’s biggest challenge in this year’s assembly elections.

The Congress is upbeat over its recent victories in bypolls to two Lok Sabha — Alwar and Ajmer — and one assembly (Mandalgarh) seats. The seats were held by the BJP. In terms of assembly segments, this translates to 17 seats, including eight each in the two Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Congress hopes to carry the momentum into the state polls riding on anti-incumbency sentiment. However, it also faces a leadership challenge as people are unclear about who will lead the government if the party is voted to power. While state Congress chief Sachin Pilot is being credited for the party’s bypoll victories, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot enjoys mass popularity. The party hasn’t named a chief ministerial face.

The BJP won a record 163 seats in the 200-member assembly in 2013 elections. The party, however, is facing unrest among its workers and traditional vote banks such as the Rajputs and the Gujjars. Party cadres feel ignored claiming that chief minister Vasundhara Raje remained inaccessible to them.

After the bypoll losses, Raje started an outreach initiative and travelled across the state, first holding Jan Samvads (public meetings) at different locations and then launching the Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra to showcase the work done by her government. Rajasthan was also high on the agenda of BJP president Amit Shah, who held several meetings with party workers. Shah told the party workers to keep their dissatisfaction and other issues aside and work to break the myth that no party can win Rajasthan twice in a row.

Though the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has announced that it will contest all seats in Rajasthan, there has been little scope for a third force in the state. Non-Congress, non-BJP parties have never got more than 10% of the votes.

Former faculty member of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Manohar Lal Yadav said the BJP knows that its electoral prospects are not too good in Rajasthan. “The party is aware, after the rout in by-elections, about its poor show in the state. It needs more time to campaign; that is why probably the polling in Rajasthan has been kept to the last and there’s a gap of nine days between voting in MP and Rajasthan,” he said.

Rajasthan and Telangana go to polls on December 7. Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram will vote on November 28 will Chhattisgarh will have two-phase polls on November 12 and 20.

Main issues

Farm crisis: Rajasthan, for the first time, witnessed suicides by farmers following crop failure and low costs for the produce in the local markets. Farmers protested in several parts of the state and the police used force against them in some places.

Governance and accessibility: The election will be a test for Vasundhara Raje’s special focus on empowering women through social schemes such as the Bhamashah card meant to provide free medical care for the poor. The BJP has faced flak for the chief minister, senior ministers and MLAs being inaccessible to people.

Caste indifference: Four communities — Gujjars, Jats, Meenas and Rajputs —who together can decide who’ll form next government, have flexed muscle before the polls making several demands.

Key players

Vasundhara Raje (BJP): The chief minister is leading the BJP’s pack. She faces people’s anger in an election in which one of the slogans is ‘Modi tujhse bair nahi, Vasundhara teri khair nahi’ (We have no malice towards you, Modi, but won’t spare Vasundhara)

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (BJP): The party MP from Jodhpur was Centre’s choice for the state unit chief’s post, but Raje stalled his appointment. Shekhawat was then made convenor of the election management committee and Amit Shah has chosen him to be one of the six lieutenants he is sending out to get a ground report that will form the basis of candidate selection.

Ashok Gehlot (Congress): The former CM is Congress’ most popular face in Rajasthan. He has been made chairman of the coordination committee for all election panels. Gehlot is seen as a political adviser to Congress president Rahul Gandhi

Sachin Pilot (Congress): The state party chief is credited with steering the Congress to three major bypoll victories in February this year. Since the 2013 elections, the party has won 25 assembly segments in bypolls under his leadership.

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Amit Shah: Congress colluded with Maoists to retain power in Chhattisgarh

Targeting the Congress ahead of the state Assembly polls over various issues, Shah challenged the opposition party to an open debate on its development track record.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Friday accused the Congress of forging “ties with Naxals” to remain in power in Chhattisgarh before 2003.

The BJP government in the state had succeeded in containing the Maoist menace, Shah said, addressing a tribal convention at Narharpur in the insurgency-hit Kanker district.

Targeting the Congress ahead of the state Assembly polls over various issues, he challenged the opposition party to an open debate on its development track record.

The convention marked the conclusion of the Atal Vikas Yatra campaign launched by Chief Minister Raman Singh to highlight the achievements of his 15-year rule.

“Chhattisgarh once reverberated with the sound of bullets…. I have no hesitation in saying that the earlier Congress government (before the BJP came to power in the state in 2003) had forged ties with Naxals to stay in power. We broke that nexus and cracked down on Naxals.

“Entire Chhattisgarh is gradually getting rid of Naxalism and heading on the path of development,” Shah said.

When Chhattisgarh came into existence, it was dubbed as one of the “Bimaru (backward/sick) states and despite being in power for the initial three years, the Congress did nothing to boost its economic growth, he alleged.

The Congress did nothing to maintain law and order, curb Naxalism, eradicate hunger and uplift the forest-dwellers, despite being in power for 55 years at the Centre, the BJP chief said.

“Atalji (then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) founded the state and Raman Singh developed it,” he said.

Shah mentioned the 24-hour power supply, road connectivity in the interior villages, purchase of forest produce at a minimum support price and other development works as some of Singh’s achievements in the last 15 years.

He slammed the Congress over a scandal triggered by the circulation of a “sex CD”, purportedly featuring state Public Works Department Minister Rajesh Munat. Munat has filed a case against state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel for allegedly trying to malign his image by circulating the CD.

“The BJP will be contesting the polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Singh, but I want to ask Congress president Rahul Baba (Rahul Gandhi), who will lead the Congress? Will it be those who shamefully manufacture fake CDs for character assassination?” Shah asked.

“Are you (Gandhi) going ahead with a leader, who allegedly indulged in character assassination through fake CDs for seeking the mandate in Chhattisgarh?”

“Our mothers and sisters here are waiting to settle the score over the CD issue and rout the Congress,” he said.

The BJP never indulged in the politics of “chaturai” (cunningness), Shah said.

He challenged the Congress to a debate on the work done during Modi’s four-year rule and Raman Singh’s 15-year tenure as against the opposition party’s “55-year rule”.

“People have two options in the coming polls. The first is the Congress which only talked about ‘garibi hatao’ (remove poverty) but removed the poor instead, while the other is the BJP, which, without raising slogans, ensured power supply to every house, provided houses for all, built toilets and gave bonus to the Tendu leaf collectors,” Shah said.

Earlier, after arriving at the Raipur airport, Shah flew in a helicopter to Sihawa, the origin of the Mahanadi river in Dhamtari district, where he offered prayers at the Mahamai Temple at Farsia village.

Shah’s visit to Sihawa and Narharpur is being seen by political observers as an attempt to woo the tribal population of Chhattisgarh.

The Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in the state later this year.

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Rahul forms 9 Panels to manage Rajasthan polls

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot will head the coordination panel and state party chief Sachin Pilot will chair the state election committee.

A day after Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati ruled out an alliance with the Congress for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, it seems to be business as usual for the grand old party. Gearing up for the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday set up as many as nine committees to manage its campaign in the poll-bound state.

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot will be heading the coordination panel and state party chief Sachin Pilot will chair the state election committee. This seems to be an effort to strike a balance between the two chief ministerial aspirants in the state.

The need to accommodate all the sections in the party seems to be a major priority for Mr Gandhi as most senior leaders have been given charge of specific committees. For instance, All India Congress Committee secretary Harish Chaudhary will head the party’s manifesto committee, while Member of Parliament from Alwar, Raghu Sharma, will chair the campaign committee.

Raghu Meena, who is deputy leader of the opposition in the Rajasthan assembly, will be the convenor of the state election committee.

All senior leaders from the state are part of the state election committee, including, Girija Vyas, Mohan Prakash and CP Joshi.

Dr Joshi, a former union minister, will also head the publication and publicity committee.

Lachhmangarh legislator Govind Singh Dotasra will head the media and coordination committee, while former Lalsot legislator Parsadilal Meena will take care of the transport and accommodation committee. Rajasthan Mahila Congress chief Rehana Riaz has been appointed as head of the protocol committee. The disciplinary committee will be headed by former Rajasthan education minister Bhanwarlal Meghwal.

The assembly elections in Rajasthan are due later this year. The state assembly has 200 members of which only 26 are from the Congress. However, the party’s fortunes appear to be improving as was evident in its huge victory in the by-elections to the Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha constituencies and the Mandalgarh assembly seat in February this year.

The Congress is reportedly confident of winning Rajasthan and sources say it is for this reason the party did not actively try to woo Mayawati for an alliance in the state.

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