Gehlot busy establishing his son; ignoring Raj: State BJP chief

Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia on Monday accused Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of working with the agenda to establish his son-- Vaibhav Gehlot and ignoring the state.

Speaking in Jodhpur for the first time after being elevated to the top post, Poonia rubbished Ashok Gehlot's claim that former chief minister and senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje had distanced herself from party activities due to an internal rift.

"Be it a businessman or a farmer, every father is concerned about getting his son employed," said Poonia, adding that Ashok Gehlot's wish, however, could not come true during the Lok Sabha election as his son failed to win the Jodhpur seat from where he contested.

"Then came the RCA (Rajasthan Cricket Association) election. He sensed an opportunity and succeeded in getting him (Vaibhav Gehlot) employed," Poonia said.

Vaibhav Gehlot was elected the new president of the RCA on October 4, winning the election by 25 votes.

While the state's unemployed youth are agitating against lack of jobs, the chief minister's son got one with ease, he said.

"They (youth) did not get a job but his (Ashok Gehlot) son did," quipped Poonia.

The BJP leader further said all through Ashok Gehlot's short stint as the chief minister, his entire focus has been on settling his son and saving his chair amid the strife between him and his deputy Sachin Pilot.

Ashok Gehlot is desperate to save his chair and more often than not he is is Delhi instead of Rajasthan. As a result, the issue of developing the state has been put on the back burner, said Poonia.

Referring to the municipal elections in the state, he held Ashok Gehlot responsible for creating confusion among the people by experimenting with the rules.

"He has reduced the municipal elections to a circus out of fear of losing the local bodies to the BJP. Delimitation exercise of wards has already been done but his theatrics continue to create confusions," Poonia said.

Talking about the spurt in crime rate in the state and the onslaught of dengue in Ashok Gehlot's hometown, Poonia said people have been forced to come out on the streets and hold demonstrations.

Poonia further said Raje was away from party activities due to personal reasons.

"But the Congress has been hurling baseless arguments about a rift in the BJP in order to hide its failures," he said.