JAIPUR: Despite Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's implementation of several welfare schemes, the Congress party in Rajasthan has faced a massive defeat. Factionalism and faulty ticket distribution issues are at the forefront of the electoral setback.
Gehlot's ambitious initiatives, such as the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance, Pension Scheme, Annapurna Food Packet, Inflation Relief Camp, Indira Rasoi and the proclamation of seven electoral guarantees, initially appeared to counter the rising BJP wave. However, these efforts proved insufficient to thwart the BJP's ascendancy, as the organizational prowess of the BJP starkly contrasted with the weak and factionalized structure of the Congress.
Despite the absence of a pronounced anti-incumbency wave against the Gehlot government, the Congress's electoral downfall is primarily attributed to the contentious ticket distribution strategy. In defiance of suggestions from party surveys, Gehlot and Sachin Pilot allocated tickets to their loyalists, a move that has been widely rejected by the public. The prolonged power struggle between Gehlot and Pilot over the Chief Minister's post, spanning the entire five years, eroded public trust, despite attempts to present a united front during the elections.
The BJP faced significant protests after the announcement of their first candidate list. However, they managed the Vasundhara Raje factor effectively, accommodating many loyalists in subsequent lists. In contrast, the Congress's insistence on granting tickets to sitting MLAs, relying on old faces instead of introducing fresh talent, has proven costly.
The persistent rift between Pilot and Gehlot over the past five years has marred the optics of the Congress campaign. In the last six months leading up to the elections, Pilot aggressively attacked the Gehlot government on issues like paper leaks and corruption, staging a march from Ajmer to Jaipur and holding a dharna to underscore his grievances.
Despite a recent patch-up, the two leaders were conspicuously absent from joint campaigning and rallies throughout Rajasthan. Instead of focusing on the welfare schemes, the prevailing buzz revolved around the internal strife within the Congress. The factionalism, which persisted until the end, has emerged as a pivotal factor in the party's defeat.
The internal rift not only provided constant fodder for the BJP to embarrass the Congress but also became a central theme in the final phase of the campaign. Prime Minister Modi, during the last leg of campaigning, invoked the name of late Congress leader Rajesh Pilot, the father of Sachin Pilot, asserting that the Congress had insulted Pilot and the Gujjar community.
Furthermore, the party organization in the state appeared demotivated, with Gehlot accused of overcentralizing the campaign. The entire effort was spearheaded by the private PR agency Design Box, led by its chief Naresh Arora. Even PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, handpicked by Gehlot for the post in 2020, raised objections about being sidelined in the party's campaign, highlighting internal disarray within the Congress ranks.
Not just anti-incumbency: Modi factor, polarisation pave way for BJP's comeback in Rajasthan
