New Delhi:

The Congress on Tuesday claimed there is no anti-incumbency against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan and the party will buck the trend of alternating governments in the desert state. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi made the remarks after chairing a meeting of the party’s screening committee for Rajasthan in the presence of state leaders here.

Mr Gogoi also accused the BJP of fielding its MPs in the state assembly polls out of fear of losing in the 2024 parliamentary polls, claiming there is a lot of anti-incumbency against them.

“There has been a tradition in Rajasthan for many years that the government changes every five years, but this time we have seen very closely that there is no anti-incumbency against the government and the chief minister.

“This time the tradition is going to break and that is why the BJP is scared and has given tickets in the assembly polls to those MPs against whom there is a lot of opposition. There is big anti-incumbency as they know they are not going to win the Lok Sabha polls again,” the Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha said.

Chief Minister Gehlot, who is seeking to repeat his government in the state, also met former party chief Sonia Gandhi as also the party’s treasurer Ajay Maken.

Mr Gehlot, who was here to attend the Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday, left the national capital for Rajasthan in the afternoon.

Rajasthan goes to polls on November 30 for the 200-member state assembly.

Asked about who would be the CM face in Rajasthan, Mr Gogoi said the party would follow the tradition.

On when the party would declare its candidates, he alleged that the BJP knows all the news in advance about when the model code is going to be imposed and when the election schedule is going to be declared, hence their preparations are done accordingly.

“See, how much chemistry there is between the two when the elections are declared, the list is prepared,” he said.

“As far as the Congress party is concerned, we are fully active and fully prepared…we are going to win this election,” Mr Gogoi said.

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

New Delhi:

The Aam Aadmi Party is ready to contest the upcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan with full strength and the names of candidates will be declared soon, its national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Monday.

The Election Commission has announced that assembly polls in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana will be held on different days beginning November 7 and the votes will be counted on December 3.

Asked about the AAP’s preparation for the polls, Mr Kejriwal said, “We are prepared to contest the elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh with full strength.”

When asked whether his party will contest the elections as part of the INDIA bloc, he said that “whatever happens will be apprised”.

Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are currently ruled by the Congress, which like the AAP is a partner in the opposition INDIA bloc.

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

Jaipur:

BJP chief J P Nadda on Wednesday said Prime Minister Modi has changed the culture prevalent under the Congress rule of making attractive promises and forgetting about them after elections and has instead introduced “report card politics”. Addressing an election event here, he claimed the Congress aims to come to power for “loot, appeasement and corruption” while the BJP intends to empower the poor, the deprived, women, youth, and farmers.

“The Congress party ruled for a long time. But their rule was such that they made promises, then forgot about them and make new and attractive promises to the public in the next election.

“But Modi ji changed this culture and started report card politics,” he said, suggesting that there is stress on accountability now.

He also targeted the Congress government in Rajasthan over crime against women, corruption, and “appeasement”.

He claimed that the Ashok Gehlot government spent five years in a tussle, an apparent reference to the feud between the CM and his former deputy Sachin Pilot.

He alleged that the Congress MLAs “looted” the state.

The BJP chief said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra goes to other states when there is a crime against women “but in Rajasthan, she only goes to Ranthambore”.

Mr Nadda was addressing a gathering at the launch of a campaign under which the BJP will seek suggestions from people on what to include in its manifesto for the upcoming assembly polls.

“When the BJP brings out a manifesto, it is not just a political document but it is our target for the future,” he said.

BJP in-charge for Rajasthan Arun Singh, state president C P Joshi, former CM Vasundhara Raje, Union minister and manifesto committee convener Arun Meghwal, Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and Deputy Leader of Opposition Satish Poonia were present.

Mr Nadda flagged off 51 modified vehicles, or “chariots”, to cover all 200 assembly constituencies in the state over the next 15 days under the campaign called ‘Sujhav Apka, Sankalp Hamara’ (Your suggestion, our commitment).

“The party has decided that we should not leave out anyone’s suggestion,” he said.

Mr Nadda attacked the Congress government over law and order, claiming that Rajasthan “ranks first” in rape cases.

He said the BJP had given a commitment to build a Ram Temple in Ayodhya but its rivals used to question it over the date when that would actually happen.”Now I tell them that the inauguration is in January, and they should definitely come,” he added. 

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

Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra of Team India celebrates with their gold medal on the podium after the Men’s Javelin Throw Final during day nine of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 27, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

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