JAIPUR: As Rajasthan chief minister Ashok GehlotтАЩs government moves into its fifth year in December this year, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Arun Singh on Thursday rebutted the Congress charge that the BJP was trying to topple the Congress government. In an interview, the Rajya Sabha MP who is the BJPтАЩs Rajasthan in-charge spoke with Sachin Saini on various issues including four years of CM Ashok Gehlot, factionalism within the BJP and his partyтАЩs presumptive chief minister for the 2023 elections.Edited excerpts:
How do you rate four years of the Congress government in Rajasthan?
In the last four years, CM Ashok Gehlot has worked to save his chair. It has been a compromised government, it has been seen that many times MLAs and ministers talk about giving resignation, that too only for getting transfer-posting done. Even the law and order situation is bad.
There have been no development works done by this government, even schemes by the previous government such as Gaurav Path, Jal Swalambhan were stopped. States across the country are witnessing development at a pace, which is missing here. This government works on appeasementтАжa number of riots took place in the state from Karauli to Jodhpur тАУ proper action wasnтАЩt taken to appease a section and protect their vote bank. This government solely worked on blaming the central government.
WhatтАЩs your take on GehlotтАЩs claim that BJP is trying to topple the government?
All baseless allegations. We never tried any such thing, rather they have so many differences among themselves тАУ Sachin Pilot was assured of being made the CM but it didnтАЩt happen, the clashes started from there. Today their differences have reached such an extent that even high command orders arenтАЩt taken seriously, and the MLAs camped at some other place, despite a CLP meeting called at CMтАЩs residence.
After Independence, probably it has never been seen that MLAs and ministers resigned in such large numbersтАжwhere is BJP in the entire drama. The government has lost its moral right to continue. If the minister has resigned, how are they functioning and using the stateтАЩs resources?
What about the Congress allegation that the BJP is dividing society, and uses religion in politics?
We never do politics over religion. In Nagaland, 99% people are Christians but BJP there has 12 MLAs. Even in Goa, BJP government was formed for the third consecutive time. Visit any minority colony across the country you will see people are getting benefits from all the government schemes be it gas connection, PM Housing and getting money in their bank account. There is no discrimination in Modi governmentтАЩs schemes.
But election tickets arenтАЩt given to minority leaders?
Eligible candidates, who can win are given tickets. Here in Rajasthan, we gave it to Yunus Khan. We work on taking everyone together. The Congress accuses BJP of many things but today, our party government is in 18 states, and they are left in two.
BJP hasnтАЩt performed well in bypolls, winning two of seven seats in the last four years. How do you see the partyтАЩs prospects for the Sardarshehr (Churu)?
We will fight with full force. The people of Rajasthan want to defeat Congress. There were many reasons for the defeat in bypolls such as the ruling party misusing government machinery.
On what issues will BJP approach the next assembly elections in 2023?
It will be misgovernance of the state government, jungle raj, corruption and the development model of the BJP.
Who will be the partyтАЩs face in the next election? The factionalism within the BJP isnтАЩt hidden.
ItтАЩs the parliamentary board of the BJP, which takes decisions on such issues. In many states, the election was fought on joint leadership be it in 2017 in Uttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand, there was no face, and elections were fought on PM Narendra ModiтАЩs face. And in many states the party face was projected тАУ it is a decision of the parliamentary board.
Any organisational changes on the cards in the state BJP, especially when the party chief completes his tenure?
We are making some changes in the structure at the district level. The party is doing good work under the leadership of state party chief Satish Poonia.
How strong is the BJP in Rajasthan?
We will win the election with a two-thirds majority and form a government. People are suffering and the government has failed on all fronts. This probably is the worst tenure of Gehlot. The state Congress is divided into two factions and in Delhi, they are leaderless.
A committee for ghar wapasi has been constituted. How many leaders, including those from Congress want to join BJP?
Looking at ModiтАЩs work, everyone wants to join the BJP, and participate in the agenda of development. Many people want to join, and those who believe in the partyтАЩs ideology can approach the committee that has been constituted. Many people are approaching, including sitting MLAs from Congress, this is happening across the country. People are feeling suffocated in Congress. The committee will do the scrutiny.
What is your take on the Old Pension Scheme? Will BJP continue, if they come into power?
It is a big issue. Employees should get benefits but the government should also make a provision for the same in the budget. Announcements can be made but one should check their pocket also. It is easy to make a popular announcement but what will a government do with empty coffers?
How do you see the Bharat Jodo Yatra taken out by Rahul Gandhi?
In Karnataka, the yatra has flopped. Only 8,000-10,000 people are coming in a day. ItтАЩs not Bharat Jodo but re-launch yatra for Rahul Gandhi. People like Kanhaiya Kumar, who spoke against the country are walking with him. Gandhi has failed to raise any issue and isnтАЩt getting a response.
The yatra is taken to connect DK Shivakumar and Siddharamaiah in the same manner as when the yatra comes to Rajasthan it will be to connect Gehlot and Pilot.
BJP leaders are holding mass independent meetings, whether it is former CM Vasundhara Raje or Satish Poonia. The factionalism among leaders is also not a secret. How do you see it?
ItтАЩs not a divide, he (Poonia) is the state party chief and is attending party programmes, and she (Raje) is the national vice-president, and also goes to party programmes and for Dev Darshan. Many other leaders also do the same thing, which strengthens the party. It is the media which is highlighting two leaders.
