As the assembly polls approach in Rajasthan, the Ashok Gehlot government is burning the midnight oil to retain power in the state. The chief minister is hopping from one place to another, becoming the poster boy of different campaigns launched under him.
Basking in the social security schemes launched by him which include the old pension scheme (OPS), Chiranjeevi Health Scheme, Right to Health among many others, he has become a hero who seems to be putting the Narendra Modi government at the Centre under pressure due to his people friendly schemes.
He has demanded that Prime Minister Modi introduce two laws nationally -- the Right to Health and the Social Security Act.
A large number of state government employees have already thanked him for OPS.
With the success of all these social security schemes, the state government is organising a mass contact programme in every district and is reaching out to the state's 80 million population through the 'populist welfare schemes' under the 'Mehangai Rahat Abhiyan'.
These welfare schemes remain the prime focus of Gehlot as he is banking on them to bring back the Congress government in the state.
To ensure these welfare schemes reach every nook and corner of the state, the government is organising moving camps, registered camps and mobile camps where Gehlot himself is taking the lead and travelling, meeting locals, women, farmers and ensuring that he remains the poster boy of this campaign.
The outreach programme is being conducted via the integrated cell constituted by the government and the campaign design is being backed up by Design Box, a consultancy agency which is ensuring that the smiling pictures of Gehlot with the beneficiaries have a mass appeal.
Gehlot is making back to back visits to villages even under the scorching sun to ensure that his Mehangai Relief Camp' becomes a success.
Recently, during one of his programmes, he spoke openly about the tussle over leadership with his former deputy Sachin Pilot. He asked the media that they should not make people fight. Addressing reporters here, Gehlot said that the Congress' election campaign in the state would focus on the schemes and programmes launched by his government. The veteran Congress leader also expressed confidence about his government returning to power on the basis of the work done in the last five years.
On Wednesday, Gehlot counted his public welfare schemes in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He enumerated schemes like the Right to health, free treatment up to Rs 25 lakh under the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme, social security pension and others, in his address at the event.
He requested PM Modi that the Central government should also ensure equal access to social rights in the country. The Social Security and Right to Health Act should be implemented. He said that the state government is providing gas cylinders for Rs 500 to the families registered under Ujjwala Yojana. The Centre should also start such a scheme, he added.
The Chief Minister said that due to the efficient infrastructure management, the roads in Rajasthan are much better than those in Gujarat (Modi's home state). He said that along with the construction of new roads, strengthening work is being undertaken. The good financial management, policies and plans have resulted in Rajasthan ranking second in the country in economic growth.
Gehlot said that availability of drinking water and water for irrigation in 13 districts of Rajasthan is very important. The state government is taking forward the work of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project from its own resources. The Prime Minister should declare this a national project, so that the work is speeded up.
So even as the opposition BJP claims that Rajasthan will follow the tradition of electing alternate governments, Gehlot remains confident of his return as a fourth time CM.
All eyes are now on him to see if his hard work pays off or whether factionalism within the party will stop the Congress from winning.
