Cong: Focusing on all seats, not just Jodhpur, from where CM Gohlet's son is contesting

Rejecting BJP's claim that the Congress has put its entire effort

to ensure victory on the Jodhpur seat, from where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav is contesting, the party said all 25 constituencies are equally important for it and its leaders are campaigning across the state to win maximum number of seats.

AICC general-secretary and Rajasthan affairs in-charge Avinash Pande said the party has been putting equal focus on all seats, but Jodhpur has become the most-talked about because a CM's son is contesting against a "close confidant" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

Union Minister of State and BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is contesting as a BJP candidate from the Jodhpur seat, among 13 going to poll on April 29.

 

"All the 25 seats are equally important for us. Due to the presence of leaders, it is assessed that Jodhpur is a difficult seat. But for me and for the party, all other seats are equally important. Our senior leaders, MLAs, ex-MLAs, office-bearers and functionaries are campaigning in all other constituencies," Pande told PTI here.

"It does not mean that the party is not focusing on other seats if those seats are not getting so much public attention," he claimed.

The Jodhpur seat has become a talking point in the state as CM Gehlot has been relentlessly canvassing in the constituency asking people to vote for his son.

This invited PM Modi's attention too. During an election rally in Jodhpur on Monday, Modi had said that Gehlot was "roaming around streets" for the victory of his son.

The BJP has also been alleging that government machinery is being misused in Jodhpur.

Gehlot has been holding meetings across the Jodhpur constituency right from the ward level, making it a prestige battle here for him.

Gehlot, who became chief minister for a third time after his party won the 2018 state elections, has represented the Jodhpur parliamentary constituency for five terms between 1980-1999. He got elected to the 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and the 12th Lok Sabhas from the seat, and now his son is making debut from there.

Pande also expressed confidence of gaining success on majority of the 25 seats in Rajasthan.

"Of the 13 seats going to poll on April 29, we have a clear edge on seven seats and our candidates are in winning position today. And there is a close contest on the remaining seats. Our candidates on 8-9 seats, out of the remaining 12 seats going to polls on May 6, are also on pole position and remaining seats are having a close contest," he claimed.

Pande also claimed that all the four Union ministers contesting in Rajasthan are in a "weak" position and there is "resentment" among public against them.

Union MoSes Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Jaipur rural), Gajendra Singh (Jodhpur), PP Chaudhary (Pali) and Arjun Ram Meghwal (Bikaner) are in the fray in Rajasthan.