Rajasthan: 'Gehlot govt trying to save itself by delaying Cabinet expansion', claims BJP

Amid the ongoing tussle over the issue of Cabinet expansion, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday alleged that the people of Rajasthan are 'suffering' due to the infighting in the ruling Congress. 

"How can a government take care of the people of the state if it is not able to satisfy even its MLAs," BJP national general secretary and state in-charge Arun Singh said.

He revealed that the BJP is preparing for a mass movement in the state to corner the government over issues like farm loan waiver, unemployment allowance, pending recruitment, and "deteriorating" law and order. He claimed that the Ashok Gehlot government is trying to "save itself by delaying" cabinet expansion.

"Gehlot government has no concern for the people. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot does not even leave his house. Now, his government is trying to save itself by delaying the changes in the cabinet. Within no time, the entire cabinet in Karnataka was changed but the Rajasthan government is giving excuses," Singh said at a press conference.

The BJP leader said that people of the state are bearing the brunt of the infighting in the Congress and party leaders from other states are being forced to come to resolve the disputes in Rajasthan.

Gehlot-Pilot Camp Infighting Persists

Recently, Haryana Congress President Kumari Selja and later Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar met CM Gehlot, indicating that they had come with a message from the party high command regarding the cabinet reshuffle.

Singh also pointed out that Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot have personal differences. "The people of the state are feeling cheated due to the flawed policies of this government," he said, adding the BJP workers will work to oust the Congress government in the next Assembly elections. 

While the Rajasthan CM has reportedly decided to expand the Cabinet by filling the 9 vacant berths, the Pilot camp is dead against it as the government has already completed half of its 5-year term. 

(With inputs from several agencies)