Ashok Gehlot at an informal meeting with Congress MLAs
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is on an intensive campaign across Rajasthan over the next nine days, touching 18 districts and heading into 38 constituencies.
It's also a part of "Mission 2030" outreach where Mr Gehlot will talk about his vision for Rajasthan till 2030. It was also, unofficially, the launch of his election campaign.
Mr Gehlot strategy has a soft Hindutva subtext as he will also visit important temples during this campaign. His schedule shows he will visit at least 10 prominent and local temples during the third leg of this nine-day campaign before the election code kicks in.
The campaign, which started on Thursday morning, will see Mr Gehlot reach Neemrana, from where he will go to the Jat heartland Didwana. There, he will meet young people and explain his vision for the state.
A special focus in Didwana is a dialogue with sportspeople and the youth over what they see as their future in 2030.
In total, Mr Gehlot during this yatra will visit 10 temples, attend four women-led meetings, 10 street-corner meetings or nukkad sabha; meet people at 16 locations for informal chat, townhalls in 11 places and dialogue with the youth at eight places. Mr Gehlot sees young voters as game-changers in this election.
Mr Gehlot's soft Hindutva pitch is also evident from the fact that in these nine days, he will visit Salasar Hanuman temple and Khatu Shaym Ji - both important shrines in Shekhawati area; Karni temple in Bikaner and Beneshwar temple in Banswara, among others.