Jaipur: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was seen outside the chief minister’s residence after a long time on Sunday. He hoisted the national flag at four places in Jaipur, met with party workers, spoke to the media and criticized the central government but when asked about the much-awaited cabinet rejig, he said 'Namskar' and moved ahead. Whereas the BJP, which has made an issue of Gehlot not coming out of CMR for a long time in the name of Covid, taunted and party president Satish Poonia said: "CM gets freedom from quarantine on Independence day but his party is not getting freedom from infighting."
CM Ashok Gehlot was rarely seen in public during the second wave of Covid. He tested positive a few months ago and had stopped coming out of CM residence on the advice of the doctors. All meetings are being done through video conference and he is not even going to Delhi for the AICC meetings with party president Sonia Gandhi and attending them virtually.
He was last seen out of CMR in July at the Governor’s house to attend a function on the birthday of governor Kalraj Mishra.
Recently when BJP had criticized him on this issue, he said that it is a difficult situation for him as people will gather if he comes out and then he will be alleged for not following the protocol.
It is to note that BJP is criticizing the CM for not coming out in the public in the name of Covid and termed it as a ‘political quarantine.’ The former CM Vasundhra Raje had criticized him for not going to the flood-affected areas while state president of BJP Satish Poonia had tweeted that it will be written in the history that there was a virtual government of Congress in the state.
Criticized centre, kept mum on Cabinet rejig
Gehlot strongly criticized the Central Government and BJP on various issues while talking to media on Independence day but kept mum on the question of the cabinet reshuffle. He said that the central government should understand the importance and seriousness of the constitutional oath and act accordingly. It was expected that he will say something about the political turmoil in the party as he was out for the first time after the recent political developments, so when he was asked for the much-awaited cabinet reshuffle he quickly moved ahead saying 'Namaskar'.
