MPs fielded in Rajasthan polls 'arrows from BJP's quiver' to defeat Cong: Rajendra Rathore

Jaipur: Senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathore Wednesday said the Members of Parliament fielded by the party to fight the assembly elections in Rajasthan are "arrows from BJP's quiver" for defeating the Congress.

The Leader of Opposition in the state assembly also asserted the Congress will not be able to win more than 21 of the state's 200 seats it got in the 2013 elections.

The seven-time MLA also said he was not in the race for the chief minister's post.

Polling for the 200 assembly constituencies of the state will take place on November 23 and the results will be announced on December 3.

"This time, we will take out every arrow from the quiver to defeat the Congress. Our MPs are one of these arrows," Rathore told PTI here.

Congress leader and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said the BJP has already accepted defeat by fielding sitting MPs in assembly elections.

Reacting to this, Rathore said, "Our high command takes decisions after a lot of thought. Seven of the 41 candidates the party has announced (in the first list) are MPs. This is the high command's decision. Such decisions have been taken by the party also in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh." Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Rajsamand MP Diya Kuamri are among the Members of Parliament who will be contesting the state poll for the BJP. While Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has been fielded from Jaipur's Jhotwara, Diya Kumari will contest from Vidhyadhar Nagar.

Jhunjhunu MP Narendra Kumar will be contesting the assembly election from Mandawa, Alwar MP Baba Balaknath from Tijara, Ajmer MP Bhagirath Choudhary from Kishangarh, Jalore MP Devji Patel from Sanchore and Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena will be contesting from Sawai Madhopur constituency.

Rajendra Rathore is not among the 41 candidates announced by the party in the first list.

Asked who is the party's chief ministerial face, Rathore said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the face during the campaign and once the results are out, the party's parliamentary board will take a decision on chief minister.

When insisted if it could be a senior leader from the state or could it be a surprise pick, he said no one is in the race for the CM post. "I am definitely not. We are workers." "We will stand fully dressed in the 'wedding procession' of that 'groom' (CM). The worker is working as a worker and of all the people who are seen, no one is in the race for the chief minister's post," he said.

On PM Modi leading the campaign instead of bringing the party's state leadership on the forefront, Rajendra Rathore said Modi is the world's most popular leader and asked why should not he come to the state.

"Everyone is in a different role. Today, we are proud that we have the most popular leader in the world. The prime minister's visits create a wonderful atmosphere, that's why he comes," he said.

"He considers himself a 'pradhan sevak' and 'pradhan worker'. This is an election. So why should not our leader come?" he asked.

Rathore, a former minister, said that no post is important in BJP. "If tomorrow I am told not to contest the elections then we are the workers. The workers accept any challenge happily, hence our high command takes the decision very thoughtfully," he said.

Rathore said that shortly before the code of conduct was implemented, several boards were formed and appointments were made. Also, three new districts were announced without any financial provision.

The BJP leader also hit back at the Congress over the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) covering 13 districts saying that the chief minister was never serious for this project and only created an issue for political gain but people understand it.

"We will be completing the ERCP," he said.

On the revival of the old pension scheme by the Congress and its impact in the election, Rathore said the BJP will improve the old pension scheme.

"Ashok Gehlot was the father of the new pension scheme. Now he has brought the OPS with no budgetary provision. We will further improve the OPS. We will correct its shortcomings," he said, while adding that Congress would get no advantage in the election.

He said the party will be releasing its manifesto by incorporating suggestions received from people from up to the village level and will deliver good governance, fulfil the ambitions of all sections of society including farmers, youths, women among others.