‘When Pilot talks about loot in jobs, corruption in Rajasthan PSC, his words are the same as ours. The issues are common’: Rajasthan LoP Rajendra Rathore

Q) Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot seems confident his government will be re-elected, riding on his populist welfare schemes.

Rathore: During his previous tenure as well (2008-2013), CM Gehlot had said he would be re-elected, but when he went to the polls touting similar welfare schemes, the Congress won only 21 seats. People of Rajasthan know that for four-and-a-half years, this government never thought of mehngai rahat (inflation relief) despite tall promises in the 2018 election manifesto of the Congress, nor was there any provision for these schemes in its budget. For example, the government said it will give smartphones to 1.35 crore women. It was announced in the previous budget and Rs 2,500 crore was earmarked for it. If each phone costs even Rs 15,000, they would still need Rs 19,000 crore. They have not allocated a single paisa for this in this budget. Where will the money come from?

Regarding their free electricity scheme, Section 65 of the Electricity Act, 2003, says the subsidy has to be paid in advance, but they have not been able to pay the discoms any money yet. Effectively, all these schemes are centred around the next four-five months, without any budgetary provisions, at a time when Rajasthan already has debt amounting to 42% of its GSDP. While the government is under stress, the CM is trying to search for his base in the public, by making blank announcements under the hoax of a welfare state.

Q) You have been made LoP less than a year before the Assembly polls. What are your priorities?

Rathore: My priority is to attack this government and pull off its welfare state mask. Closer to the elections, I will expose this government by taking to the public the kind of loot and jhooth (lies) that lie at its foundations.

Q) The BJP has been consistently losing by-elections in the state. Doesn’t it put a question mark on its performance in the forthcoming polls?

Rathore: By-elections are not benchmarks and have a different mechanism. They can go in favour of the ruling party due to a large number of reasons. I can say from experience that in the forthcoming polls, the Congress will face its worst ever defeat.

Q) CM Gehlot repeatedly says that the BJP is divided and has 10-12 CM faces. He also says former CM Vasundhara Raje is sidelined within the BJP. Will intra-party divisions spoil the BJP’s chances in the elections?

Rathore: That we have 10-12 deserving CM candidates should be counted to our credit. Vasundharaji is our national vice-president. She was never sidelined before, and is not sidelined now. When Gehlotji says this, he should look at his own party. When they fought the last election, Sachin Pilotji was the state Congress president. His signature was there even on Mr Gehlot’s ticket. Today, Pilot is undertaking a Jan Sangharsh Yatra and levelling allegations of corruption against his own government. This is the first government that stayed captive in five-star hotels under police protection for 34 days (during Pilot’s rebellion against the Gehlot government). Before levelling allegations at the BJP, they should remember their own ministers are saying that this is the most corrupt government, calling the Chief Minister their weakest CM, one who shirks from duties. Meanwhile, the BJP has Narendra Modi, the most popular leader in the world.

Q) Pilot recently said Gehlot’s seems to be not Sonia Gandhi but Raje, while accusing him of not taking action on cases against the former CM.

Rathore: If Sachin Pilotji thinks Ashok Gehlotji respects Vasundharaji, that’s his personal opinion… There are several leaders who are respected across party lines.

Q) You and the BJP have often publicly agreed with and praised Pilot, who was the state Congress president when the BJP lost power.

Rathore: This is nothing new. When Sachin Pilot talks about loot in jobs, corruption in the Rajasthan Public Service Commission — his words are the same as ours. The issues are common. The system has become nakara (useless). While the government’s own people are raising these issues, we too are highlighting the same to the public.

Q) A viral video from PM Modi’s recent Ajmer rally shows Raje nudging you aside to stand next to the PM. Yet you say there are no divisions within the BJP.

Rathore: Vasundharaji is our respected leader. There is nothing more to it.

Q) As a senior MLA who has remained undefeated since 1990, are you a probable CM candidate?

Rathore: Neither has it ever come to my mind, nor do I find myself eligible for the post. I’m a ground-level party worker and will remain so.

Q) You are one of the tallest Rajput politicians. In 2018, Rajputs switched sides and voted for the Congress. Has the BJP regained their support?

Rathore: The Rajput community has always been core voters of the BJP and their allegiance is still with us.

Q) But will the BJP suffer due to not projecting a CM face?

Rathore: The BJP central leadership is extremely competent. It is their job to make the battle strategy. Our job is to fight on the ground.

Q) Will the Hanuman Beniwal-led Rashtriya Loktantrik Party eat into the BJP’s vote share? At some places in recent by-elections, it polled more votes than the BJP.

Rathore: Over the past three decades, whenever Assembly elections are held in Rajasthan, the main contest is between two parties. Several parties have tried to butt in before, but their sun has set soon thereafter. There is no space for a third force in the state.