Ashok Gehlot has been working on announcing welfare schemes
The BJP has criticised Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over promising to give cash to women to buy mobile phones or other electronics of their choice instead of giving them the devices directly.
Mr Gehlot has been criss-crossing the state to promote his wide range of welfare schemes ahead of the assembly, which will be held later this year.
"We are trying to give a certain amount (of money) to women of the state for buying mobile phones of their choice instead of giving the devices under a scheme. Giving smartphones is a way to empower women," Mr Gehlot said, referring to his 'Free Mobile Yojana'.
Mr Gehlot's announcement to give smart phones and SIM cards to 1.33 crore women is likely to cost the state over Rs 12,000 crore. The tender for this scheme may not make it before the election code kicks in - which could be one of the reasons why Mr Gehlot is promising to give cash instead.
The tenders for tablets for students and food packets are also likely to miss the election code deadline.
Today, the Gehlot government gave Rs 176 crore to 42,000 farmers whose cattle contracted the lumpy skin disease.
His announcement has received a massive response, with people in long queues waiting outside welfare scheme booths to register for the schemes. These scenes resemble rallying points for the Congress's election campaign, people familiar with the matter said.
The opposition BJP in Rajasthan has called Mr Gehlot's promise to pay cash to women "bizarre".
"They are handing out freebies. Last time too they made such promises, and when they lost power, they took their schemes with them," Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Rajendra Rathore said.
Taking a swipe at Mr Gehlot's promise, Rajasthan BJP chief CP Joshi said, "If you want to give relief, why have you taken so much money for diesel and petrol in VAT (value-added tax)? Put that back into people's accounts."
The opposition is likely to step up the attacks on Mr Gehlot on how his government will track the cash that it will give to women, whether they will spend on buying mobile phones - the intended use of the cash - or would spend on other purposes.