"People Of Rajasthan Will Put Ashok Gehlot Out Of Work": Union Minister

Taking a dig at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said the senior Congress leader will be out of work once the results of the November 25 Assembly elections are declared on December 3.

To a question, if he would catch up with Gehlot over tea after the polls are done and dusted, the Union Minister said he would consider meeting the former once the people have dislodged him and the Congress from power.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Sekhawat, who is one of the BJP's heavyweight campaigners for the November 25 polls, said, "The people of Rajasthan have made up their minds to bring back the BJP. This Congress government is useless, incompetent and corrupt. The people are not just upset but also angry with this government."

"They have failed to deliver on the promises they made to every section of the society. People across faiths and communities in the state feel defrauded and cheated by this government. The ruling party (Congress) has also sinned in making Rajasthan the country's rape capital. They have also betrayed farmers, youth and women. They have played with the future of the state's youth, as their broken promises have served to crush their dreams. The state is also topping the country in terms of exam paper leaks. The people are angry over these issues and are waiting at the chance to dislodge and dump this government," Sekhawat added.

In a further takedown of CM Gehlot, the Union Minister said, "As for meeting the CM over tea, I am eagerly awaiting the day. He is very busy these days with campaigning et all. However, after 20 days, when the election results are declared, the people will have put him out of work and I will have enough opportunities to catch up with him over tea. And, since he betrayed the high command of his own party, he won't have any fallback job in Delhi as well. From 1993 till now, whenever the people of Rahasthan freed him from his CM duties, he would go to Delhi and find some role for himself in the Congress high command. Now that his hopes for bagging a fresh role in the high command are all but over, he will have plenty of time after December 3. I am sure that he will invite me to tea someday."

"The BJP will re-establish the rule of law in Rajasthan and deliver on their promise of good governance. We will liberate the people from the clutches of the mafia and ensure the security of our mothers and sisters. We also provide jobs to the youth and restore social harmony in Rajasthan. This isn't just a promise but a commitment. Our aim is to form a double-engine government in Rajasthan," Shekhawat added.

"I strongly believe that we are on course to forming the government here. We will also win Phalodi and other assembly segments in western Rajasthan by huge margins. I am confident that the people of Phalodi will once again bless us with an opportunity to serve Pabbaram Bishnoi-ji," Shekhawat added.

Earlier, on Tuesday, CM asserted that there was no anti-incumbency in the state and the Congress will be voted back in the November 25 elections.

"There is no anti-incumbency here. Our government has done well to deliver on the promises and fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people. Sensing the public pulse, I can say with confidence that the Congress is on course for a return in Rajasthan. We delivered on the promise of good governance and have provided water, electricity, education, health and better road connectivity to the people. The law and order situation in Rajasthan is also better than in previous years," the CM told ANI on the sidelines of the Congress's Guarantee Yatra here.

The counting of votes for the Rajasthan Assembly is scheduled for December 3.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)