‘Cong Leaders Should Not Do Anything That Damages Party’

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said Congress workers and leaders should not do anything that damages the party, in remarks seen as a veiled attack on his former deputy Sachin Pilot who has been questioning the state government’s alleged inaction in “corruption” cases.

Gehlot, who arrived in Delhi on Friday afternoon, said they should work towards ensuring that the Congress government is repeated in the state. The veteran Congress leader said he is here for personal obligations and would be meeting some friends before returning to the state on Saturday.

“It is easy to ignite a fire, but very difficult to douse it….I talk about ‘mehngai raahat’ (relief from price rise). Congress leaders and workers should work towards strengthening the party and work towards bringing its government once again in the state and how they can contribute towards it. They should not do anything which harms the party,” he told reporters at the airport in New Delhi.

“I feel that if due to some remark, one faces some loss, one should not worry about one’s personal loss as the party high command would compensate you. But, one should not say or do anything that should harm the party and organisation as no one will be able to compensate for the damage caused,” he said in a veiled reference to remarks made by Pilot, who sat on a fast recently seeking action on alleged corruption during the BJP’s Vasundhara Raje-led previous government.

Pilot sat on a protest in Jaipur last week demanding action against those involved in corruption during the previous Raje government.

The Congress had termed it “anti-party activity”. But Pilot went ahead with his fast dharna. The Congress has so far not acted against Pilot for protesting against his own party’s government.

Gehlot said his government has brought in several new schemes will bring more. The people of the state feel that our government will be repeated, he said.

“We have talked to 100 MLAs and everyone said that whatever was asked for (from the state government) was received and work is going on everywhere in the state,” he said.

Asked about surveys being conducted by the party ahead of the assembly elections later this year, he said many such exercises will be held to assess the work of MLAs.

On former Congress president Rahul Gandhi vacating his official bungalow after being disqualified as MP, Gehlot said, “Whenever there is a conspiracy, the conspirator completes the entire conspiracy. The moment the case was filed, they decided what to do. The case was earlier not heard for four years, but suddenly everything was expedited as part of a conspiracy. It was a conspiracy.” He said neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Home Minister Amit Shah knows about the Gandhi family which has made sacrifices for the nation.

“The entire Congress family and workers want them to continue to provide leadership to the party,” the chief minister noted.

Gehlot expressed concern over the issue of unemployment and price rise in the country, saying, “We want to address that, as it is affecting people. We are also providing jobs in the government and non-government sectors in Rajasthan.” “We have launched a number of schemes for the welfare of people and we are now launching ‘Mehngai raahat camps’ that will provide some help,” he noted, adding that these camps will function in villages across the state.

He said a scheme to provide gas cylinders at Rs 500 was launched on April 1 and people are getting cheaper cylinders. “We will provide benefits to all, be it of the Congress or the BJP.”

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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)