BJP scattered in Raj, doesn't have CM face: Priyanka Gandhi

JAIPUR: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed on Friday that the BJP is scattered in Rajasthan and it does not have a Chief Ministerial face for the upcoming State Assembly polls.

The Congress General Secretary also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent visits to the poll-bound state, saying it seems that he is out to find a chief ministerial face for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"The BJP is a scattered party in Rajasthan and it does not have a face for the chief minister's post. The prime minister is roaming every corner of the state. Sometimes, it seems that he is out to find his chief ministerial face," Gandhi said while addressing a poll rally at Sagwara in Dungarpur district.

"Modi is seeking votes in his name. Who will run the state? He will not come from Delhi to run the state, a local leader is needed for that," she added.

Gandhi also asked the voters to be careful if emotions and religion are used with a design to get their votes.

"If emotions and religion are used in politics, one has to be careful. If your emotions are being used, then you will have to be careful and think whether they are working for you or just taking the name of religion," she said.

Hitting out at the BJP-led Centre, the Congress leader said people across the country, including farmers, are suffering due to inflation.

She said the voters will have to decide what kind of leaders they want -- those who work for them or those who only talk of religion and do not work for them.

"The situation in the country is such that a farmer earns an average of Rs 27 a day and big industrialists like (Gautam) Adani, who is a special friend of Modi, earns Rs 16,000 crore a day. The government provides complete assistance to him and loans are waived. The same government says it does not have the money to waive the loans of farmers," Gandhi said.

"When you are in trouble, they turn their backs on you," she said.

Gandhi blamed the Centre's policies for the price rise and said the Congress government in Rajasthan had to set up inflation relief camps for people.

She said the state government waived loans worth Rs 14,000 crore of lakhs of farmers and alleged that if the BJP comes to power in Rajasthan, all work started by the Congress for the welfare of people will be discontinued.

The Congress leader accused Modi of gradually selling public properties, including public sector undertakings (PSUs), to Adani.

Gandhi also recited the Gayatri Mantra during her address and said she learnt it from her grandmother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi and had taught it to her children as well.

"Gayatri mata protects our culture. My grandmother used to say that the culture of all religions should be respected. Today, 40 years have passed since Indira's martyrdom. The whole country remembers her because she kept the country in her heart as a family," she said.

The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will go to polls on November 25 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.