Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said he is a "permanent jaadugar (magician)" in his state who has had repeated opportunities to serve the poor, as he urged people to repeat his government in the polls next year.
Mr Gehlot, who was in New Delhi to attend a meeting at the AICC headquarters to decide the roadmap for the party's protest against the government over rising prices, slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "black magic" jibe at the Congress' protest on August 5.
"They talk about black magic. We have been against such black magic since childhood. Magic is different in which I believe, it involves tricks, but this black magic is something else," he said.
Mr Gehlot's remarks came after Prime Minister Modi had lashed out at the Congress for wearing black clothes on August 5 in protest against price rise, saying those who believe in "kala jadu" will never be able to win the trust of the people again.
Asked if his magic was working and whether it would trump the BJP, Mr Gehlot said, "My magic is permanent in the state. I am a permanent jaadugar there. It is different kind of magic which is constant. You look at the magic, the time I have always got for serving the people."
"My aim is to serve people till my last breath, to wipe their tears. If the person is poor I am standing with that person, this is my thinking," the Rajasthan chief minister said, adding that governments come and go but he stand strongly with this principle.
Mr Gehlot said in his earlier terms as Chief Minister, he had governed well and brought in many schemes for the welfare of the people even though they lost in polls after five years in government.
"This time, I want people to repeat us. We have done so much work, our schemes have reached every household. I urge the people to bless us, schemes are stopped upon losing," he said.
Mr Gehlot's father was a magician. The Chief Minister had once said he would have been a magician had he not been into politics.
