Rajasthan is a role model for development, not Gujarat: Ashok Gehlot

Taking a dig at BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday claimed that his state was a role model for development, not Gujarat where development works were concentrated in Ahmedabad and Baroda.

"Development in Gujarat is not a new phenomenon. It has been developed for long, but its rural areas still lack basic facilities. Narendra Modi (Gujarat CM) is marketing it (the development model) by his body language. The fact is that Rajasthan is a role model for development, not Gujarat," Gehlot said at the release of Congress manifesto here.

Gehlot said his government had introduced several welfare schemes and social security programmes and a huge investment — domestic as well as foreign — came during his tenure.

"Rajasthan is a landlocked state whereas Gujarat has the advantage of coast for import and export. In Gujarat, there is no development in rural areas. Development of Ahmedabad or Baroda cannot be seen as the development of whole Gujarat," he said, adding Gujarat also lacks social security measures.

He also said that it was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, not Narendra Modi, who is the role model of youths.

"Modi is presenting wrong facts in his rallies. He has no knowledge of history and such person can not be a prime ministerial material. Common sense of people in the country is robust and extraordinary and he will be exposed in days to come," the Rajasthan Chief Minister claimed.

He alleged that Modi spreading wrong message among masses and trying to create communal divide. "Discrimination was done during Modi rule. The party did not give ticket to any Muslim candidate in Gujarat elections," he said.

Gehlot said BJP's Rajasthan state unit chief and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was equivalent to Modi in marketing (their success) who disappeared from the state for four-and-a-half years and came back only to seek votes.

"Raje threatened to quit BJP on her party leader Gulab Chand Kataria's plan to undertake a 'yatra'. When she cannot be loyal to the party which gave her identity and opportunity to become Chief Minister, then how people of the state can expect her to be loyal to them?" Gehlot asked.

The Rajasthan Chief Minister also alleged that there was resentment in BJP over distribution of tickets, not in Congress. "The issue of rebel candidates is not a new thing, it happens during elections," he said.

Without naming, Gehlot said former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi tweeted that tickets were being sold in BJP. "How tickets were traded is BJP's internal matter, but it is unfortunate that such things are happening in democracy," he said.

Highlighting achievements of his government, Gehlot said that financial management remained robust during his tenure and all financial parameters were within limits set by the Planning Commission.

Gehlot said that due to a good financial management, the state government was comfortably able to introduce social welfare schemes and other programmes.

The Chief Minister said that 6,450 MW power was added to the state's generation capacity since Independence, whereas in the past five years his government increased power generation by 7,222 MW.

The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly goes to polls on December 1.