Gehlot Criticizes BJP’s Delay in Announcing CM Faces for Hindi Heartland States

In the wake of the recent assembly polls in Rajasthan, Congress leader and Rajasthan caretaker Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot voiced criticism against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of lacking discipline in the decision-making process for selecting Chief Ministers in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.

Speaking ahead of a crucial meeting to evaluate the party’s performance in the Rajasthan assembly polls, Gehlot expressed discontent over the BJP’s delay in announcing CM faces. He remarked, “There is no discipline in this party. If we had done the same, I don’t know what allegations they would have leveled against us and misled people. They polarized the polls… We will cooperate with the new government.”

Gehlot, currently in Delhi for the party’s performance review meeting, criticized the delay in announcing the Rajasthan BJP CM face, suggesting that the BJP would have reacted differently if the Congress had taken a similar approach.

Referring to a recent case involving an NIA probe, Gehlot highlighted the necessity for the new CM to take swift action. “For seven days now, they (BJP) have not been able to select a CM; I want them to take a decision quickly,” he said.

Accusing the BJP of winning the assembly election in Rajasthan through religious polarization, Gehlot stated, “They polarized the polls; they brought issues like triple talaq, the abrogation of Article 370, the Kanhaiya Lal murder, and propagated lies that Muslims were given 50 lakhs and Hindus only 5 lakhs.”

Despite the allegations, Gehlot conveyed that the Congress would cooperate with the new government. Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party MP Rahul Gandhi arrived at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi for a crucial meeting to assess the party’s performance in the recent Rajasthan assembly polls.

Rajasthan Congress leader Govind Singh Dotasra, also present at the meeting, highlighted the party’s focus on analyzing shortcomings and making corrections for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “We will deliberate on the reasons behind why we could return to power in the state. We will analyze our shortcomings and make corrections for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” he stated.

The Congress leadership has been conducting separate meetings to review losses in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, seeking detailed reports from state unit chiefs. The election results, particularly the losses in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, have dealt a significant blow to Congress’s hopes for the 2024 elections, as the party finds itself out of power across a vast swathe of the Hindi heartland. In Rajasthan, the BJP is poised to form the government with 115 seats, while the Congress trails at 69 seats.