Kharge sounds poll bugle in Rajasthan with ERCP in focus, attacks Modi over 'red diary' issue

Hinting at BJP’s attempt to bring down the government in the state, Kharge praised people of Rajasthan for not letting it happen.

Jaipur: Complimenting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the unique Right to Health Act,  Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge today flagged off the Rajasthan Congress poll campaign, aligning it with the emotive poll issue of Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) in Baran district, some 320 km from the state capital. 

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasra, Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other leaders were present today.

The state is going to polls on November 25, whose results would be declared on December 3.

Congress is demanding a national status to the ERCP potable and   irrigation water in 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan. The project, estimated to cost over Rs 40,000 crore, will ease irrigation water problems over two lakh hectares in those 13 districts. The BJP government,  which proposed the project, has now developed cold feet and is unwilling to finance the project. 

Congress, in turn , has turned it into a poll issue, as it is likely to affect 83 Assembly seats in the districts of Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Baran, Bundi, Dholpur, Dausa, Jhalawar, Jaipur, Kota, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur and Tonk. 

Kharge, while addressing the rally said, "The Prime Minister had promised to aid the project, mentioning it at two places, during his rallies. But now he has conveniently forgotten about it. Nobody knows what happened to the aid. But the Congress is completing it with Rs 25000 crore on its own.”

He added, “There are Central ministers from this state and 25 MPs from Rajasthan but nobody has raised any demands for the ERCP project.  So Rajasthan got neither funds nor water.”

Hinting at BJP’s attempt to bring down the government, he praised people of Rajasthan for not letting it happen. 

Commenting on Modi’s remark on the 'red diary issue', which is alleged to have corruption deals in it, Kharge said the red diary, in fact has written that Congress will form the next government in the state after it wins the Assembly elections. He also emphasised that if the party wins Rajasthan, the party will come to power at the Centre in 2024 also.