As Rajasthan is gearing up for assembly polls on November 25, state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra speaks to Preetha Nair about the prospects of the party, asserting that the Congress would remain united to challenge the BJP in the polls.
Excerpts:
Would you be able to break the 30-year-old tradition of not repeating governments in Rajasthan?
I am confident that Congress will retain power as the government does not face anti-incumbency. The public has reposed faith in our record of good governance and implementation of several welfare schemes such as the revival of the old pension scheme, gas cylinder subsidy, and free electricity up to 100 units, among other things. The infighting in the BJP will also work in our favour.
Congress has announced four lists of candidates. Is there any disquiet among the cadre about the selection of candidates?
We have gone about the selection process of candidates based on surveys and feedback. Though we have retained sitting MLAs in the first two lists, in the third list, we have experimented with new and younger candidates. The candidates are selected through an exhaustive process and the list is further filtered by the screening committee. We have dropped MLAs who are facing anti-incumbency.
There is still no clarity over whether the three leaders, Mahesh Joshi, Shanti Dhariwal, and Dharmendra Rathore will get the ticket. Is there any rift?
There is no such dispute on their candidature. The candidates are decided on the sole criterion of winnability. No other consideration is there.
Are you also in the race for the CM’s post? Your posters have appeared recently…
There are posters of four-five important leaders. It is quite natural. The party wants all leaders to go together and everyone is important.
Is Ashok Gehlot the CM candidate? Recently he remarked that the CM post is not leaving him…
The CM must have commented in some context. I don’t want to comment on it. The high command decided that all leaders would fight together in the election. The rest will be decided by the high command after the election.
You and your sons are also being called by the Enforcement Directorate (ED)…
It is the BJP’s strategy of distraction. They want to put pressure on us and create a perception that the government is corrupt. But it doesn’t work and people are watching. No summons were issued in the last three years, So why now? Though they called me, no questions were asked.
There is now a truce between Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. Many say that core issues are yet to be addressed. Your comments.
Pilot and Gehlot have buried the hatchet and there won’t be any issues now. We stand united in this election.