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Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma has completed one-and-a-half years in office, to which Ashok Gehlot said he wants him to be fully aware of his responsibilities
Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot called on his successor Bhajan Lal Sharma to take urgent action before public faith in the administration is irreparably damaged. (Image: PTI)
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has said he wants his successor Bhajan Lal Sharma to govern for a full five-year term.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, a first-time MLA, has completed one-and-a-half years in office, to which Gehlot said he wants him to govern the state well but do so being fully aware of his responsibilities.
“I have sympathy for Chief Minister Sharma. Not everyone is as fortunate as him. It’s been one and a half years since he took office. Rule for five years, brother – who’s stopping you? You suit us; Pandit Bhajan Lal suits everyone,” Gehlot was quoted in a report published by NDTV. “Why would we oppose him? We want him to govern well. But he must know his responsibilities.”
His statement comes soon after he earlier claimed that there is a conspiracy within the BJP to remove Sharma. But, state BJP chief Madan Rathore dismissed his mixed remarks and said he was simply attempting to stay in the headlines out of fear that “his political ground is slipping away”.
“Gehlot once acted like a magician, but today, the BJP government in Rajasthan is working at the grassroots level. This government is not just here for five years — it will last for many years to come,” Rathore was quoted.
‘OPPOSITION NOT YOUR ENEMY’
Quickly changing tack, however, Gehlot called on Sharma to take urgent action before public faith in the administration is irreparably damaged. He accused the state government of failing to control criminal elements and rampant corruption, and neglecting key welfare schemes.
Citing reports of repeated thefts at Congress MLA Deen Dayal Bairwa’s residence, he said the scale of the problem is now impossible to ignore.
“A newspaper has carried this news on the front page. The MLA says there have been three thefts at his home. When a newspaper puts it on the front page, you can imagine what the situation must be like for others in the state. No one is listening,” he told reporters.
The former chief minister alleged that the state government had failed to protect citizens. “There is no hearing even in villages and districts. There is hooliganism, the mafia are dominant and people do not know where to go to file complaints. The entire complaint system has collapsed,” he said, expressing alarm over the growing power of the sand mafia.
He added: “I have said before that the mafia has taken over the gravel trade. Gravel is extremely expensive now. Police are being attacked. So many incidents are happening and there is no control.”
He further criticised the state government’s handling of health insurance for the poor. “The Rs 25 lakh insurance cover technically still exists, but people have been led to believe that it has been reduced to Rs 5 lakh. That’s the government’s biggest failure,” he said.
He further urged the chief minister to use the state’s intelligence services to verify the issues raised by the opposition.
“If there’s no truth to them (issues raised by the opposition), fine. But if there is truth, he should fix them,” he said. “The opposition is not your enemy. When we speak, it is to warn you that these things are happening. You should take us seriously. It is in your interest too.”
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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