‘United’ Rajasthan Congress to embark on door-to-door campaign

Congress on Thursday sounded the 'unity' bugle in Rajasthan ahead of the Assembly election later this year and announced that it is embarking on a door-to-door campaign highlighting Ashok Gehlot government's achievements and announcing all its candidates selected on "winnability factor" by September first week.

In what is seen as the party managing to find an end to the factional fight, the leadership got Gehlot joining the meeting via video conferencing as he is recuperating from a fracture and his bete noire Sachin Pilot joining the deliberations in Delhi along with central leadership, a day after the Chief Minister indicated at acting on the latter's demands.

Pilot too made positive sound bytes after the meeting attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal by talking about the "meaningful and comprehensive" meeting where everyone expressed confidence that they would  work hard over the next few months to  repeat "our government".

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While the party warned of strict action against those discussing inner-party issues in public domain, it did not sound positive on declaring a chief ministerial face for the polls while asserting that it can win the Rajasthan election if all worked with unity.

Addressing a press conference after the four-hour-long meeting, Venugopal did not spell out whether there was a peace formula between Gehlot and Pilot but said all have agreed to fight unitedly to ensure the victory of Congress. He said Pilot "spoke very well" in the meeting and that he was "very confident that we are going to win the state".

On who will be the face of Congress, he referred to Congress "history" of not naming any Chief Ministerial candidate and said the Rajasthan government was doing good work and that work would bring good results to the party.

Asked about Pilot's demands, Venugopal made it clear that Gehlot has already announced the restructuring of Rajasthan Public Service Commission and a legislation to provide for stricter punishment for those who leak question papers, the major demands of Pilot. "Earlier there were differences but in today's meeting, all leaders said they will fight the elections with unity," he said.

While highlighting the need for strengthening party-government coordination, he said the party is going to start its door-to-door campaign -- a completely positive campaign -- highlighting the government's positive work from Friday itself. He also said the meeting has directed the state leadership to engage social groups to understand their views on what should be in the manifesto in the next 90 days.

On the candidate selection, he said the party will decide its candidates for the state polls by the first week of September and winnability will be the only criterion. Congress has been holding surveys across the state with this deadline in mind.

Sources said Rahul told the meeting that bureaucracy was dominant in the state while asserting that party workers should get their due in the government.

Expressing his happiness at the way the meeting turned out, Pilot told reporters that the Congress government in Rajasthan is "serious" and will take action against all the corruption that has taken place under the BJP rule.

"There was a meaningful discussion on how to buck the trend of voting out incumbent governments in Rajasthan. We discussed all issues with an open mind and all expressed confidence that we can repeat the government in Rajasthan," he added.