The Congress party tweeted a video clip of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot meeting with a group of students and fulfilling their demands, calling him a “jan jan ke mukhyamantri (people’s chief minister).” The tweet was posted on the same day that senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot began his “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” from Ajmer, putting pressure on Gehlot and the Congress leadership ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.
The video showed Gehlot meeting with a group of students during his recent visit to Udaipur, where they demanded that Masters-level education be offered at their college. Gehlot promptly took note of their demand and assured them that he would take necessary steps to fulfill it.
The tweet was seen as a veiled message to Sachin Pilot, who was removed from his post as Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan and State Congress President last year after he rebelled against Gehlot’s leadership. Pilot has been critical of the Congress party’s handling of the state’s affairs and has been mounting pressure on the leadership to address the issues raised by him.
Gehlot’s response to the students’ demand was seen as an attempt to project himself as a leader who listens to the people’s voices and acts on their demands. The Congress party’s tweet was also an attempt to highlight Gehlot’s achievements as Chief Minister and counter the narrative being built by Sachin Pilot and his supporters.
The upcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan are crucial for both the Congress and the BJP, as they seek to consolidate their hold over the state. The Congress has been ruling the state since 2018, but its government has been marred by infighting and power struggles. Sachin Pilot’s rebellion last year was seen as a major setback for the party, and his “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” is being closely watched by political analysts and observers.
The Congress party’s tweet is being seen as an attempt to change the narrative and project Gehlot as a leader who is in touch with the people and is working towards fulfilling their demands. Whether this strategy will work in the party’s favor remains to be seen, as the state’s political landscape is still fluid and unpredictable.
