Amid speculation of internal feud, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday claimed that there were no differences within the State Congress over portfolio allocation, and that the newly-formed Cabinet will meet in Jaipur on Friday which is also the foundation day of the party.
Gehlot justified the allocation of portfolios, saying it was a “well-thought out” exercise and has been “welcomed” by the people. The newly inducted Rajasthan Ministers were allocated portfolios, with Chief Minister Gehlot keeping nine departments, including the key Finance and Home, with himself, in an exercise late on Wednesday night.
Speaking to mediapersons in the national Capital, Gehlot said, “The first meeting of new Rajasthan state Cabinet will be held on December 28, which is the Congress foundation day, and the new Government would make a good start on this day.”
In Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra when the BJP came to power, it took them seven-nine days to announce Chief Ministers, he said. The BJP Government, he alleged, had “blocked” several big decisions of the previous Congress Government and said his party would not emulate them.
“We won’t block any good decision of the outgoing Raje Government. The good work of the Vasundharaji’s Government, we will not block them in public interest.”
Gehlot said the state Congress had already started preparations for the Lok Sabha elections and a meeting with PCC chief Sachin Pilot and AICC general secretary in-charge for the State Avinash Pande has already taken place.
He also expressed hope that a ‘mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) of Opposition parties would soon be formed to take on and defeat the BJP, which he claimed was working to satisfy “public perception” and not doing any sincere and concrete work.
“Rahul Gandhiji has said that we will exert pressure on the Prime Minister to waive farm loans as farmers were the most harassed, besides the youth of the country, whose aspirations were left unfulfilled.
“If this Government comes again, then there is a threat to the country, the country’s democracy and its Constitution. All Opposition parties feel this and we are hopeful the ‘mahagathbandhan’ will be formed soon and will be successful,” he said.
Referring to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s recent remark that the BJP “leadership” should own up to “defeat and failures” also, days after his party lost polls in three states, Gehlot said, “Maybe some more BJP leaders should speak their hearts out in the party’s interest before the NDA Government goes out of power,” he said.