Rajasthan assembly elections: Blow for Congress as former minister, MLA join saffron party; BJP targets Ashok Gehlot over Dausa rape incident

NEW DELHI: The Congress, which faces a tough challenge from the BJP in Rajasthan, suffered a setback on Saturday as one of its ex-ministers joined the saffron party along with a former party MLA.

Congress leaders Ram Gopal Bairwa and Ashok Tanwar joined the BJP in the presence of BJP state president CP Joshi, MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and election management committee convenor Narayan Panchariya. While Bairwa is an ex-minister, Tanwar is a former MLA, who represented Chaksu in the state assembly.

Welcoming the new leaders in the party fold, Joshi said, "It seems that we will make Jhotwara 'Congress-Mukt'. I express gratitude to all of you for reposing faith in the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."



Jhotwara, a legislative assembly constituency, is a suburban area of Jaipur.

"Today a big Congress Dalit leader Gopal Bairwa has joined the BJP. Former MLA Asoka Tanwar has also joined the party. I welcome them all. Chavi Rajawat a sarpanch who made a name for herself is also welcomed to the party" said the Rajasthan BJP chief.

The Congress is going all out to retain power in the state, which has alternated between the grand old party and the BJP every five years. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot is confident that his government's people-friendly schemes will help the party fight anti-incumbency.


Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party is seeking mandate based on the works done by its government in Rajasthan in the last five years, whereas the BJP's issues are polarisation and ED and CBI.

"BJP is issueless in Rajasthan. They have a weapon- ED and CBI, who will now take a break for Diwali and will become active again and the second weapon is the language of polarization. PM Modi, Home Minister, UP CM, Assam CM, all of them will adopt the language of polarization because they are nervous," Jairam Ramesh said.

The Congress leader alleged the BJP has no strategy other than this and the Prime Minister is raising allegations against Rajasthan government out of fear. He termed the allegations "totally baseless".

Rajasthan will vote on November 25 to elect a new assembly. In the 2018 assembly elections, the Congress had won 99 seats while the BJP had won 73 seats in the 200-member house.

War of words over Dausa rape incident
Meanwhile, both the Congress and the BJP have been engaged in a fierce war of words over the Dausa rape incident.

The opposition BJP attacked the Congress government in the state over law and order after the case surfaced, alleging that while the Centre believes in "beti bachao", chief minister Ashok Gehlot-led dispensation in Rajasthan stands for "rapists bachao".

A minor was allegedly lured into a room by a sub-inspector Bhupendra Singh and raped on Friday afternoon. The incident, which took place in the Lalsot area, sparked a huge protest. Local people in large numbers gheraoed the Rahuwas police station and raised slogans against the police. A video surfaced online purportedly showing a mob dragging the sub-inspector on the road and beating him with shoes and sticks as his clothes were torn away.

The police sub-inspector has been arrested and a case registered against him under relevant sections, including POCSO Act and the SC/ST Act, officials said on Saturday.

At a press conference on Saturday, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla cited a number of cases of atrocities against women and children, including those involving police and other government officials, to allege that rapists have "high confidence" in poll-bound Rajasthan.

Noting that the child is only four years old and comes from a Dalit family, Poonawalla alleged that the FIR was registered only after protests erupted amid efforts to save the guilty person and remove evidence.

Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra also condemned the incident, saying it brings shame to the entire society, and instructed director general of police Umesh Mishra to take strict action in the case.

Reacting to the incident, Jairam Ramesh said that atrocities against women anywhere is shameful.

"Wherever atrocities against women happen, they are shameful. They have to be condemned. Madhya Pradesh is number one in cases of atrocities on women, atrocities on Dalits. The proceedings against criminals take place in Rajasthan. Action is taken against those who are criminals as soon as possible," the Congress leader said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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