Rajasthan assembly bypolls: Congress, BJP launch star campaigners

JAIPUR/UDAIPUR: Campaigning in poll-bound Vallabhnagar and Dhariawad seats saw a major shift from Monday with both the main parties — the Congress and the BJP — launching their star campaigners to woo voters.
The BJP has deputed four MPs — Arjun Ram Meghwal (Bikaner), CP Joshi (Chittorgarh), Diya Kumari (Rajsamand) and Kanakmal Katara (Dungarpur) along with leader and deputy leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria and Rajendra Singh Rathore to reach out to voters. Meanwhile, from Congress, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra and transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas were on the field for the campaign.
Joshi inaugurated the party office at Kurabad in Vallabhnagar and talked about the impact of the Union government’s social welfare policies in the state. “At a time the Congress government has failed miserably, the only respite is PM Narendra Modi rescuing the state from every problem it is facing,” said Joshi. Kataria has been making personal appeals for BJP candidate Khet Singh in Dhariawad reminding the people of what the previous governments have done for tribal areas.
Minister of tribal affairs Arjun Munda will hold three public meetings in Dhariawad next week.
Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra reached Udaipur airport on Monday for his two-day programme to campaign for Dhariawad and Vallabhnagar constituencies.
During an interaction with the media, Dotasra said, “The central government has not been able to provide relief to people of the country on any front. Instead, they are selling assets that were built by the Congress in the last 70 years.”
Taking on BJP state president Satish Poonia, Dotasra said he speaks only what the RSS tells him to speak.
“Our government has waived loans of farmers worth Rs 18,000 crore. Poonia is unable to see the plight of the farmers who are on the roads for the past 10 months. The central government had promised to provide 2 crore employment annually but has failed miserably. Our government has given more than 58000 jobs,” said Dotasra.