BJP Fully Prepared for Rajasthan Panchayat Polls: Rathore

Panchayat and local body elections, he said, are driven by local needs and public expectations. The BJP will place local development at the centre of its campaign and present a comprehensive development roadmap for Panchayats and urban local bodies for the coming term.

Commenting on reported differences within the Congress, Rathore described the dispute between Dotasra and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot as an internal matter of the opposition party. He alleged that personal ambitions within the Congress have become increasingly difficult to contain and claimed that similar tensions had earlier contributed to internal divisions involving senior leader Sachin Pilot.

According to Rathore, no leader within the Congress appears willing to compromise, and Dotasra, who rose to the state presidency with the support of a particular leadership, is now attempting to sideline that leadership. He maintained that the reality of the Congress’s internal power struggle is evident regardless of Gehlot’s explanations.

The BJP president said his party remains focused on strengthening its organisation and empowering workers, while Congress leaders are preoccupied with internal rivalries. He listed development initiatives being pursued by the government under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, including the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, the Yamuna water project, additional Narmada water allocation, self-reliance in power generation, industrial development, the refinery project, employment generation, improvement in the financial health of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation, stronger policing and action against crime.

Responding to opposition criticism, Rathore said Congress leaders oppose the BJP because they are in the opposition. “If they (Congress) were to praise the BJP’s work, their political shop would shut down,” he remarked. He also alleged that Congress leaders compete to make the strongest statements to impress their high command.

Referring to the party’s internal dynamics, Rathore claimed Dotasra is uncomfortable with the growing stature of Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully while simultaneously seeking to reduce Gehlot’s influence, and that Pilot is waiting for the conflict between the two to intensify. He compared the situation to a “Jalebi race,” saying Jully is currently leading.

On the issue of examination paper leaks, Rathore said former Chief Minister Gehlot had made several attempts to curb the problem without success. He recalled Gehlot’s earlier remarks about groups of youths conspiring to leak papers and Dotasra’s statement questioning whether he conducted the examinations. Both leaders had demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over similar issues, which Rathore described as a double standard.

He asserted that the BJP has no intention of following what he termed the Congress approach and does not support securing illegal benefits for anyone, including the children of its own leaders or workers. Questioning the eligibility of some legislators to claim OBC reservation benefits despite falling under the creamy layer, he reiterated that the BJP believes in the rule of law, transparency and equal application of the law.

Rathore’s remarks framed the forthcoming local elections as a contest centred on development and organisational strength while highlighting what he described as continuing internal challenges within the Congress.