Express News Service
JAIPUR: On his first trip to Rajasthan after quitting from the Congress to join the BJP, Jyotiraditya Scindia visited Gangapur in Sahada Assembly constituency on Sunday.
The Scindia scion received a warm welcome with rose petals and garlands from the people of Gangapur in Bhilwara district where he is campaigning for the bypoll scheduled on April 17.
The BJP was keen on former Vasundhara Raje for campaigning in Sahada, which has a special connection with the Scindia family, and had also included her in its list of star campaigners.
Since the former chief minister has decided to stay away citing her daughter-in-law’s health, the BJP replaced Raje with her nephew Jyotiraditya Scindia who held an election meeting in Gangapur on Sunday afternoon.
The BJP wanted to get somebody from the Scindia family as it been associated with Sahada since princely times. Many villages in Sahada’s Gangapur region have an old relationship with the Scindias and were earlier under the Gwalior princely state. As a result, the Scindia family has an influence on people of this region.
It is said that Gangabai, the daughter of the Mewar royal family was the daughter-in-law of Gwalior. Due to a rift between the two kings, Gangabai came to Udaipur to help reach an agreement. While returning, she died in Lalpura village and later Gangapur town was built in her name. There is also a Gangabai Chhatri and a temple. According to royal traditions of those times, the place where the last rites of a royal took place was given to that princely state. As a result, the Mewar royalty gave these villages to the princely state of Gwalior.
The BJP is hoping that Jyotiraditya’s entry will attract votes in its favour due to the historical ties of his family with Gangapur. As he began campaigning, the Rajya Sabha MP launched a sharp attack on the Congress. “Our thinking is that even if we have to lose our life, we will live up to our promise. But the Congress thinks lets save our life, who cares if we have to break our promises,” he asserted.
Scindia praised the Modi government at the Centre which he claimed has a vision for development. He slammed the Ashok Gehlot government in the state and used the farmers issue to woo votes. “Under the Kisan Nidhi scheme, the Centre gives Rs 6000 to each farmer but the Gehlot government says what use is just Rs 6000. In Madhya Pradesh, we ensured an additional Rs 4000 through the Shivraj Singh-led BJP government. If Gehlot is so keen to help farmers, why doesn’t his government give such help to farmers,” he questioned.
The Congress, however, remains unfazed and claims Scindia’s campaigning will be of no help for BJP candidate Ratan Lal Jat (73), a former minister. The Congress has given the ticket to Gayatri Devi, wife of late MLA Kailash Trivedi and hopes to win sympathy votes.
When queried about Jyotiraditya Scindia visiting the Sahada Assembly constituency, Govind Singh Dotasara, the Congress President in the state remarked, “once somebody leaves our party, we don’t care where he campaigns. We do not mind as he is free to do what he wants. But Congress friends from Rajasthan will also ask him what happened to his dreams of becoming a minister in the BJP?”
Voting for the three by-polls in Rajasthan is slated for April 17.
