Ashok Gehlot Confident of Coming Back to Power in Rajasthan, Thanks to Kerala Model

Thiruvananthapuram: The results of the recent election survey indicate that the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, is likely to win and secure another term in Rajasthan.

Gehlot is confident that his administration's good governance, including its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social security, health initiatives, and infrastructure development over the past five years, will lead to a back-to-back victory.

Gehlot attributes his confidence to the "Kerala model." During a recent chat show on a national TV channel, he shared an experience from his time as the AICC in charge of the assembly polls in Kerala in 2021. Ordinary people told him that the incumbent government would repeat because of their excellent work during the pandemic. This was surprising because Kerala has alternated between the LDF and UDF governments every five years, and no incumbent government has achieved a repeat in many decades.

Gehlot believes that his government's effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Rajasthan, particularly the Bhilwara model, will secure their victory. The Bhilwara model became a talking point because it was where COVID-19 deaths were first reported, and the World Health Organization acknowledged its success in the containment of COVID-19.

Gehlot also recalls how he fought with the central government to ensure sufficient oxygen supply during the pandemic. He personally took up the matter with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister and sent three of his ministers to Delhi.

Due to the prolonged lockdown, daily wagers and vulnerable sections of society faced a huge crisis. Gehlot asked his officers to trace the most vulnerable, and they identified 32 lakh extremely poor people. They helped the people open bank accounts and deposited Rs 5,500 in each account as a direct benefit transfer, which provided great relief.

Gehlot believes that if the LDF can repeat in Kerala, his government, which has done much more during the COVID-19 pandemic, will definitely come back to power.

Whether Gehlot's optimism becomes a reality will be known on December 3.