Congress indulged in corruption, did not carry out water works: Shekhawat

Union minister and BJP candidate Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has claimed that he got budget worth thousands of crores sanctioned by the Centre for water works in Rajasthan but the previous Congress government in the state failed to utilise it.

While trashing Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda's reported remarks that he could not get water for the region despite being the Jal Shakti minister, the BJP leader said he was saddened by the endorsement of the same by BJP workers.

"I allocated thousands of crores of budget to the Rajasthan government for water, but if the government didn't work, what can I do? Even the Central Government has its limitations; water is a state government matter, and it was their responsibility to work on it, but they didn't and indulged in corruption", he said.

Addressing a rally in Ajasar village in Pokhran on Saturday, Shekhawat said his own people were throwing mud on his face.

"Congress candidate is saying that despite being the Minister of Water, Shekhawat couldn't bring water. It saddens me that our own people are standing with them, speaking their language, and denigrating me," he said

Asserting that he was not among people to seek votes but to express his agony, the minister said he was deeply pained that the people and youth were not countering these allegations and rather endorsing these allegations on social media.

He charged that former chief minister Ashok Gehlot wanted to implicate him in one or the other case and get him arrested somehow.

"Just two days before the assembly elections, Ashok Gehlot was trying to send me to jail, but it was your blessings and good wishes that he could do any harm to me", he said.

"Ashok Gehlot was constantly after me. I also fought hard, but now if my people start speaking their language, who will protect me? That's why I am sharing these thoughts with you today", he said.

The minister assured locals that work will be done on war footage on all fronts, including water works, with the BJP government at the helm in the state.