Ahead of polls, Rajasthan Congress says ED raids have emboldened its leaders to take on BJP even more strongly

Congress in Rajasthan says the fresh ED raids on its leaders have emboldened the party as it is united and ready to take on the BJP, which is suffering from infighting. "They have sensed their defeat. Hence, they are targeting our leaders by misusing the agencies," the party leaders say. -- Reports Amit Agnihotri.

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday said that the recent Enforcement Directorate raids on party leaders have united the Rajasthan unit which has been asked to launch a yatra to guarantee the party’s poll promises.

Polling for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will be held on November 25. Results will be out on December 3. “The ED raids have united the party in Rajasthan instead of terrifying the leaders. Earlier, we were telling the people that agencies are being misused to target rivals by the BJP. Now the workers and the voters alike are realizing that what we have been saying is true. The ED raids against our leaders have come just weeks ahead of the polling day and the people see why. The workers have come out in large numbers to support our leaders,” AICC secretary in charge of Rajasthan Virendra Rathore told ETV Bharat.

The ED raided the residence of state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasara and issued summons to Vaibhav Gehlot, son of chief minister Ashok Gehlot, in a 12-year-old case. Vaibhav appeared before the agency in Delhi on October 30, the day the chief minister was busy discussing the probable candidates with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief Rahul Gandhi.

Buoyed by the excitement among the party workers and leaders alike, the AICC has now decided to launch a yatra to highlight the seven poll guarantees in the poll-bound state.

While senior leaders including Speaker CP Joshi, Govind Ram Meghwal, AICC observer Mohan Prakash, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, MLA Harish Chaudhary, Pramod Jain Bhaya and AICC functionary Jitendra Singh have been made in-charge of seven zones through which the guarantees yatra would pass through, AICC secretaries in charge of the state Qazi Nizamuddin, Virendra Rathore and Amrita Dhawan have been asked by AICC general secretary in charge SS Randhawa to coordinate with the state leaders.

While Joshi will head the Udaipur division, Pilot Ajmer, Chaudhry Jodhpur, Meghwal Bikaner, Jitendra Jaipur, Mohan Prakash Bharatpur, and Pramod Jain Bhaya Anta. "The seven guarantees are being received very well by the people. Now we want to take the guarantees to every household in the state. Hence the yatra,” Randhawa told ETV Bharat.

“The party is united and ready to take on the BJP, which is suffering from infighting. They have sensed their defeat. Hence, they are targeting our leaders by misusing the agencies,” he said. The AICC functionary further said that the BJP was playing up the Gehlot-Pilot tussle but Pilot spoke against the ED raids on party leaders. This, said the AICC functionary, has disturbed the BJP.

“The welfare policies of the Gehlot government have become a landmark. Plus, the guarantees we have promised to implement if we come to power will further improve the lives of the people in the state. The BJP on the other hand has nothing new to say and lacks a vision for the development of the state,” said Randhawa.

Referring to ticket distribution, the AICC functionaries said that the names announced so far had been selected carefully and a similar process is being followed for the remaining seats. “So far, the list has been welcomed by the leaders. There is no major problem. The other names would also be out soon. The only factor is the winnability of the candidate,” said Rathore.