Pilot to break away from Congress in June?
The Jan Sangharsh Yatra of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot ended on Monday in Jaipur. It appears that in the election year, the role of the opposition in the state has now been taken over by the faction of disgruntled Congress MLAs led by Sachin Pilot. In fact, the banner of the Jan Sangharsh Yatra had a picture of a hand holding a torch instead of Congress’s election symbol. It is rumoured that on June 11, which is the death anniversary of his father Rajesh Pilot, Sachin Pilot might announce breaking away from Congress and forming another party or front so that he could become kingmaker in the elections.
BJP to give preference to local leaders now
After the setback in the Karnataka assembly elections, BJP Central list leadership has started brainstorming after the defeat. The party now realizes that the reason for the victory of Congress in Karnataka is that they trusted the local leaders. Congress’s state unit president DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are believed to have played a big role. Now BJP is also contemplating that local leaders should be brought forward in the 2023 State elections. Besides PM Narendra Modi, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje may be given preference in Rajasthan.
Centre of excellence to be set up soon
A centre of excellence will be set up by the Rajasthan government at a cost of `5 crores to promote research on millets and other grains in the state. Apart from research on new varieties of millet and other coarse grains, small entrepreneurs will be encouraged for value addition from various products in the proposed Center of Excellence at Jodhpur Agricultural University. The central government had declared millet as the national grain two years ago. The year 2023 has been declared as the International Millet Year by the United Nations. Research says millet is found to lower postprandial blood glucose level and glycated hemoglobin.
Rajesh Asnani
Our correspondent in Jaipur
rajesh.asnani@ newindianexpress.com