Rajasthan Congress headed for big division, Ashok Gehlot will prove its Bahadur Shah Zafar: Satish Poonia

Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia said on Friday that the state Congress was headed for a “big division” and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot would prove to be its Bahadur Shah Zafar, a reference to the last in the line of Mughal emperors.

“Congress is united only by hands and not by hearts. The MLAs of the party have constantly been accusing the ministers of not listening to them,” Poonia told the media at the Circuit House here.

The entire party is divided and its organisational structure has crumbled with no district units, he said, adding there was a huge chasm among Congress leaders in the state which cannot be bridged.

Poonia had come to Jodhpur to pay tribute to the deceased BJP leader Jaswant Singh.

“On the basis of the developments in the Congress in the past some time, I can say this is the last government of the Party in the state and Gehlot will prove to be its Bahadur Shah Zafar,” he said, apparently referring to the perceived differences between Gehlot and party leader Sachin Pilot that played out recently.

“There are so many cracks in the Congress that they cannot be repaired now. I am not an astrologer, but can say that the Congress in Rajasthan is heading for a big division,” he said.

He also attacked the Congress government for an alleged spurt in cases of crime in the state, especially those against women and girls.

“It is pathetic that the state had shot up to the second place in the country in terms of crime against women and the first in the country on the index of rape/gang-rape with minor girl,” he said.

“Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot passes comments over crime in other states but not on crimes in his state. Controlling crime was not among the priorities of his government and the motto of the police now is to create 'trust in criminals, fear in common persons,” Poonia alleged.

He also questioned the chief minister’s ability to deal with increasing cases of crime. He said the chief minister himself holds the home portfolio and the Congress has not been able to find a suitable person in two years to succeed him.

Sharing the crime date of the state, Poonia said the BJP would ask the government to release a white paper on criminal cases and also seek clarification about all the incidents of crimes against women, police action on them and steps taken for the protection and rehabilitation of victims.