As the state of Rajasthan approaches elections, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is preparing to embark on a crucial political excursion through the state's eastern districts.
Gehlot's five-day "Jan Ashirwad Yatra" is set to begin on September 25th and will visit 13 districts in eastern Rajasthan, with a particular focus on places involved with the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).
The major purpose of this complex project is to supply clean drinking water to the citizens of these 13 districts, but it has been hampered by significant delays caused by disagreements between the Central and State administrations.
It is clear that Gehlot and his government intend to make the ERCP problem a key campaign topic in the run-up to the Rajasthan elections.
The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress President, Govind Singh Dotasara, revealed that the yatra would include meetings and street gatherings at various sites across the 13 districts.
Dotasara said, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expected visit to Rajasthan on September 25th, that Modi had yet to fulfil any of his pledges.
"PM Modi had promised during the elections to designate the ERCP in Ajmer and Jaipur as a national project," Dotasara continued.
If he does make such a statement, it will be an acknowledgement; otherwise, he is still campaigning. The public now recognises that it is a rhetorical government."
The five-day Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Eastern Rajasthan is scheduled to begin either in Jaipur or Dausa. A state-of-the-art chariot is currently being prepared for this long voyage, which will be graced by the presence of Chief Minister Gehlot, Dotasara, state in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and countless other party leaders.
Throughout the yatra, street gatherings will be held in several assembly constituencies, with party officials praising the government's accomplishments and criticising the central government's attitude on the ERCP issue. The grand finale is expected to be held in Ajmer.
The political battle over the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) in Rajasthan is heating up as the election date near.
With a budget over 40,000 crore, this enormous project intends to give water to 13 districts across the state.
During his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi chastised the Central Government for not approving it as a national initiative.
Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary, also severely criticised the central government's handling of the ERCP problem in a public rally in Tonk last week, saying, "The central government is not genuinely addressing your concerns and is burdening the state government in the process."
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot claims that, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election pledge in 2019, his government has done nothing but mislead the public on this critical topic.
The BJP, on the other hand, claims that the Congress government is misleading the public and that, despite their 50% financial commitment, the Gehlot administration has failed to develop or implement the ERCP as initially envisioned.
As a result, the Congress party plans to aggressively challenge PM Modi and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat during the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, focusing on the ERCP problem.
The Congress Party hopes to gain support in the 86 assembly constituencies by holding PM Modi and Shekhawat accountable.
