JAIPUR:
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot blamed
Covid-19 for the party’s loss in the panchayat polls. Gehlot said results were not as per expectations of the Congress. He also accused the opposition of misleading the voters.
Gehlot said in a statement, “The results of the
district council and panchayat polls are not as per our expectation. For the past nine months, our government was involved in
Covid management and our priority was to save lives and livelihoods of the people.”
“Our entire focus was on the
Corona pandemic, due to which we could not promote properly our plans and government’s actions. At the same time, the leaders of the opposition visited rural areas and misled voters by false propaganda,” Gehlot said.
He said, “At the time of lockdown, labourers and migrants were conveniently brought to their homes. Financial assistance and ration was provided to the people. Employment opportunities in villages were increased through
NREGA. No one was left to sleep hungry and no one died due to lack of treatment for Covid in the state,” he claimed.
He said the government’s priority has been to save people’s lives and livelihoods and strengthen the state’s health infrastructure.
“Due to coronavirus, we could not publicise our works while the opposition misled the people. But we will give a befitting reply to the opposition, after getting feedback from the people,” he added.
Gehlot thanked voters and the Congress workers who, he said, strengthened democracy by participating in this election.
“I congratulate all the winning candidates. I am confident that all the people’s representatives will succeed in public service,” he said.
In elections held for the 4,371
Panchayat Samiti seats in 21 districts of Rajasthan’s 33 districts, the BJP bagged 1,989, the Congress won 1,852, Independents 439, the CPI (M) 26, the RLP six and the BSP five.
Similarly, in elections held for 635 zila parishad seats in these 21 districts, the BJP won 353 seats and the Congress 252 with the result for one seat yet to be declared.