In Rajasthan, It’s Not Just BJP vs Cong, Women Back Gehlot on Allowance, But Men Reject ‘Guarantees’

‘Gehlot ka dil hai Rajasthani, neta nahi mileage aisa chahe torch lekar dhoondna’ (Gehlot’s heart is Rajasthani, you will not find such a leader even if you use a torch) — so blares the campaign song of the Congress at the Chief Minister’s ‘Guarantee Rally’ in rural Dausa.

Gehlot has chosen to call all his election rallies as ‘Guarantee Rallies’, hard-selling his seven promises to the people. This has become the centre-piece of his campaign and was reiterated in the party manifesto launched on Tuesday — with the focus on Rs 10,000 a year allowance for women head of a family, the Chiranjeevi medical insurance scheme for all — hiked from Rs 25 lakh a year to Rs 50 lakh — , a new law for Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and a gas cylinder at Rs 500.

But are all impressed? News18 found angry farmers in Eastern Rajasthan saying such guarantees are not enough. This is a region which voted big for Congress in 2018. “We voted for the Congress, but now will vote for the BJP. We don’t believe in Congress as Ashok Gehlot did not waive farm loans despite promising them the last time. Jab loan maaf nahi hua, toh kahe ka vote? (When loans were not waived, then vote for what),” a group of farmers told News18 in Sikrai, Dausa.

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat told News18 that Congress’s claim while launching its manifesto on Tuesday that it has fulfilled 96% of its manifesto promises from 2018 was “totally false” and the loan waiver issue besides the unfulfilled unemployment allowance was an example. “People will teach the Congress a lesson, unki guarantee ki koi guarantee log nahi leh rahen hain (people are not believing their guarantees),” he said.

A youngster in Chaksu told News18 that the paper leak issue had hurt the Congress. “We trust Narendra Modi. We want the same government in the Centre as the state for maximum development. We want a full electricity supply, not free electricity. We don’t want freebies, we want facilities,” the young man said. This sentiment is prevalent in Eastern Rajasthan.

Women Support Gehlot?

But women seem to be rooting for Gehlot, especially given his promise of Rs 10,000 a year for them and cheap LPG cylinders. “It is a big thing for women to get Rs 10,000 a year from Congress…who gives us money. We won’t give this money to our husband. A cylinder at Rs 500 really helps women, pension is also coming. The CM has thought of us. We don’t trust the BJP as we have got nothing so from the BJP,” a group of women at one of the ‘guarantee rallies’ said.

“Congress has fulfilled what it said. Guarantees are a big issue. Gehlot is true to his word. He gave us rations earlier. People are happy. The free smartphones from Gehlot have helped us in terms of being safe so they can call in an emergency; crimes are happening,” two young women told News18. The free smartphones for women have, however, offended the men who say young girls are being corrupted. But women say men can say what they want but we want Gehlot in power.

Hardcore Congress loyalists say the guarantees will work magic for Gehlot. “People have seen the benefit which has come,” a group of elders in Dausa said. Some, however, say people may be happy with the guarantees but would not necessarily vote on the same. “The vote will be on caste. The last time Gujjars and Rajputs voted for Congress. It may not be the case this time,” a group of people in Bharatpur said. Eventually, it may be a guarantee issue versus a caste issue in Rajasthan.