Ashok Gehlot has a suggestion for Modi: ‘Open PMO branch in Gujarat’
With a few months left for the Assembly election in Gujarat, both Modi and Kejriwal have been making frequent trips to the western state. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been mostly absent.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should set up a "camp office" of the PMO in poll-bound Gujarat. His remarks came in the wake of Modi's frequent visits to the western state.
"The Prime Minister started visiting Gujarat the very next day after winning the Uttar Pradesh elections. Work is suffering in Delhi. He should open a camp office of the PMO in Gujarat so that work continues smoothly," Gehlot, the Congress' senior observer for Gujarat elections, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"A Prime Minister is a very busy person. Why should he visit his state so often? His name is enough. Is it a small thing that the leader from this state is the Prime Minister? (Union home minister) Amit Shah is also camping here," he added.
The senior Congress leader also trained his guns on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, stating that he was like "(Narendra) Modi's brother" in terms of body language and style of speaking.
Also Read | Before Gujarat polls, state cuts VAT on CNG, PNG, gives 2 free cylinders
“He speaks of elevating India to the top. You have grown so arrogant by winning Punjab that you intend to elevate the nation to the top based on that? He talks about providing free electricity by employing a sizable workforce. Not sure where the funding for campaigns comes from,” Gehlot said.
With a few months left for the Assembly election in Gujarat, both Modi and Kejriwal have been making frequent trips to the western state. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been mostly absent.
Gehlot further termed electoral bonds, a mode through which political parties accept money from donors, whose identities remain unknown, a "big scam" and one of the reasons why democracy is in danger.
Stating how could there be a level-playing field if "all the money goes to one party and the other party does not have money," Gehlot said the Congress is fighting elections “with limited resources”.
Poll dates for Gujarat were expected to be announced on Saturday, but the Election Commission only confirmed dates for the Himachal Pradesh election.
The Congress said the decision to not announce the dates was meant to give the ruling saffron camp an opportunity to announce pre-election 'sops' for the people.
