PM Modi attacks Congress govt in Rajasthan, says Gehlot has accepted defeat

His statement came as Gehlot had recently demanded that Modi should guarantee that Congress government's schemes will not be discontinued if the BJP comes to power in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has already "accepted defeat" by requesting him not to stop schemes initiated by the Congress in Rajasthan, and gave a guarantee that the BJP will not stop any scheme but only try to improve it.

Addressing a public rally in Chittorgarh, Modi also gave a clear indication that no chief minister face will be projected in the poll-bound state.

The BJP, he said, will contest the assembly election on the party's symbol 'lotus'.

Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, BJP state president CP Joshi, leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore, union minister Arjun Meghwal were among the political leaders present at the rally.

There has been much speculation whether Raje will be declared the chief ministerial face by the BJP in Rajasthan.

On Gehlot's demand that Modi should give a guarantee that no scheme initiated by the Congress government be stopped if the BJP comes to power, Modi said, “Gehlot knows that the countdown of the Congress government has started. He in a way has congratulated the BJP by publicly requesting that the schemes should not be stopped. I assure you that BJP will not stop any scheme of public interest but will try to improve it. This is Modi's guarantee'.

Gehlot had recently demanded that Modi should guarantee that Congress government's schemes will not be discontinued if the BJP comes to power in the state.

Attacking the Gehlot government over the issue of corruption and women's safety, the prime minister said he is pained when atrocities take place against daughters anywhere in the country but charged that the Congress has made this a tradition here.

Modi also said that the alleged paper leak mafia in the state will be held accountable and given the harshest punishment.

Referring to tailor Kanhaiya Lal's brutal murder in Udaipur last year, Modi asked whether the people of the state had voted the Congress for this.

“Had you imagined what happened in Udaipur? People come on the pretext of getting clothes stitched, slit the throat of the tailor without any fear and make a video and make it viral, and Congress gets worried about votes in that too,” he said.

Lal, 48, was killed with a cleaver inside his shop in Udaipur on June 28 last year. The assailants claimed they hacked Lal to death to avenge an alleged insult to Islam.

The prime minister also said that it is not possible to celebrate any festival peacefully in Rajasthan because of the 'anti-development' environment created by the Congress.

Modi said the BJP will bring prosperity, employment and development in the state besides ensuring safety of women.