Building upon the 'pro-poor government' rallying cry introduced by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi three days ago in Mangarh, Rajasthan, the ruling Congress within the state is gearing up to engage in the upcoming assembly election around the central theme of advocating for a government that champions the interests of the underprivileged versus a party perceived to favor the wealthy elite. This strategic direction was alluded to by the party's Organisational General Secretary, KC Venugopal, following a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee held in Jaipur on Friday.
Speaking to the media, Venugopal highlighted, "The forthcoming contest in Rajasthan will be characterized by a clash between the impoverished and the affluent. We stand by the marginalized, while the BJP aligns with the privileged. Notably, across the country, schemes are primarily devised to uplift the underprivileged." Venugopal further asserted that the Congress is poised to secure another term in governance in Rajasthan, countering the BJP's potential efforts to tarnish the administration's reputation, which he believes the public will resist.
During the course of the meeting, lasting around an hour and a half, KC Venugopal and senior election observer Madhusudan Mistry convened in Jaipur to confer with the appointed observers for constituencies and the Political Affairs Committee. Discussions revolved around the party's electoral agenda for Rajasthan. Insider sources reveal that the party intends to take forward the narrative of championing the rights of the poor against the backdrop of wealth inequality and magnify it as a central theme of the elections.
State in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa reinforced the sentiment, emphasising that the government's initiatives are firmly oriented towards supporting the underprivileged. He elaborated, "Rajasthan is the sole state providing cylinders at the cost of Rs. 500. Our allegiance lies with the marginalised sections of society – those who earn Rs. 200-500. We stand unwaveringly on the principles enunciated by Indira Gandhi half a century ago."
