JAIPUR: The Congress is poised to make a comeback in Rajasthan according to results of Tuesday’s counting, which showed that the party had garnered 99 seats till the time this publication went for publication. The comeback maybe a small one, but is significant in the grand scheme of things.
The next step for Congress, after crowning either state PCC chief Sachin Pilot or former chief minister Ashok Gehlot as the chief minister, is to face several challenges ahead of the 2019 LS elections.
Youth and farmer distress were listed as the major reason for the Raje government’s fall.
The BJP had promised in 2013, that it would give 15 lakh jobs per year to youngsters but the Congress has claimed that only 1.5 lakh jobs were indeed generated.
Farmers were upset with the government over inadequate Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for crops and difficulties in acquiring Urea. They were also demanding a complete loan waiver of all farmers’ loans.
The Raje government had announced a waiver upto R50,000 but the decision was taken in the last year of its tenure and ultimately proved too late. Congress president Rahul Gandhi may have delivered the death blow coffin when he announced that if elected, the Congress government in the state would waive off farmers’ loans in just 10 days.
But having made these promises, it is now upto the party to fulfil them.
Gandhi had also promised that their CM would work 18 hours a day and would be available to farmers and youngsters. He added that youngsters would get loans easily for starting businesses.
The party’s manifesto had also promised a monthly allowance of R3,500 for unemployed youngsters in the state. But it remains to be seen how the new government will deal with the state debt of almost R3 lakh crore. Reservation for the Gujar community is also another potential albatross around the Congress’ neck.
If Sachin Pilot, who belongs to the community is not made the CM, then the Congress might have to face the ire of the community. They are demanding 5% reservation in the special backward category and have only been given 1% so far. The Gujjars also seek OBC categorisation, but Jats oppose it.