Gehlot has made all arrangements to play his fourth innings as Chief Minister

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is not called a magician of politics just like that. Whenever he gets a chance, on the strength of his political magic, he makes the opponents eat all four. The opponents may be from the opposition parties or from their own party. He does not spare anyone as soon as he gets a chance. For a long time, he has been facing strong opposition from within his own party. Even after this, he did not give up and one by one brought all his opponents to the political margins. Only eight months are left for the next assembly elections. That is why Gehlot is playing openly in the field of politics.

For the last 30 years, the myth of change of government after every five years is going on in Rajasthan. But Chief Minister Gehlot wants to break this myth and form the Congress government again in the next assembly elections. That is why, while getting his budget passed, he has made the biggest master stroke of his 50 years of political life by forming 19 new districts and three new divisions of Banswara, Pali, Sikar in Rajasthan simultaneously.

Presently 33 districts are functioning in Rajasthan. At the time of formation of Rajasthan on November 1, 1956, there were a total of 26 districts. On April 15, 1982, Dholpur was carved out from Bharatpur and became the 27th district of the state. On April 10, 1991, 3 districts were simultaneously separated from Kota, Baran, separated from Jaipur, Dausa and Udaipur and Rajsamand district was formed. On July 12, 1994, Hanumangarh became the 31st district of Rajasthan after being carved out of Sri Ganganagar. On July 19, 1997, Karauli was carved out of Sawai Madhopur as the 32nd district. On 26 January 2008, Pratapgarh became the 33rd district after being carved out from Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Banswara.

No new district has been formed in the state since Pratapgarh in 2008. At present, the population of Rajasthan has crossed 8 crores. In the last 40 years, the population of the state has doubled but only seven districts have increased. Till 1981 there were 26 districts in Rajasthan, then the population of Rajasthan was around 3.6 crores. In today’s time, the population is more than 8 crores, but only 33 districts could be formed. The number of districts did not increase like the population.

Pratapgarh was the last district in Rajasthan formed 15 years ago. Since then, the demand for creation of new districts was continuously raised in the state. But due to the possibility of political opposition, no government considered it politically correct to take the risk of formation of new districts and the formation of new districts kept getting postponed. While Rajasthan is the first state in terms of area and the seventh largest state in terms of population. Due to lack of districts, people have to wander far and wide for administrative works in the state. In many areas, the general public has to face a lot of trouble due to the district headquarters being located up to a distance of 150 kilometers. To remove the problems of the common people of the state, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has given a big gift to the people of the state by forming 19 new districts simultaneously. It is believed that Congress will get its benefit in the coming assembly elections as well. The record of formation of maximum number of districts simultaneously in the country has also been made in the name of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. So far, 19 districts have not been formed together in any state.

In the new districts created in the state, Jaipur district has been divided into Jaipur North, Jaipur South, Dudu and Kotputli districts. Jodhpur is divided into Jodhpur East, Jodhpur West and Phalodi. Sriganganagar to Anupgarh, Barmer to Balotra, Ajmer to Beawar and Kekri, Bharatpur to Deeg, Nagaur to Didwana-Kuchamancity, Sawai Madhopur to Gangapur City, Alwar to Khairthal, Sikar to Neem ka Thana, Udaipur to Salumbar, Jalore to Sanchore and Bhilwara A new district has been carved out of Shahpura. On the other hand, new divisions have been created by cutting Udaipur to Banswara, Jodhpur to Pali and Jaipur to Sikar. It is not yet clear which districts will work under these divisional headquarters. Regional balance has also been maintained in the formation of new divisions. Sikar from Shekhawati region, Pali from Marwar region and Banswara from tribal-dominated Mewar region have been carved out as new divisions.

In the formation of new districts, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has made his political supporters as well as opponents. New districts have also been announced where the Congress is weak. BJP’s Shankar Singh Rawat has been winning in Beawar for a long time. Beawar district could not be formed in BJP rule. Gehlot made Beawar a district. Which Congress will encash in the next elections. Congress is also very weak in Pali, Jalore and Sirohi. Making Pali the divisional headquarters and making Sanchair a district is also part of Gehlot’s strategy to increase influence in that area. Gehlot has strengthened his image by making Phalodi and Balotra districts as well. The announcement of new districts and new divisions on the day of passing the budget has left the opposition speechless. The opposition has no clue about it yet.

Chief Minister Gehlot has made a big announcement to give 40 lakh smart phones to women and students on the upcoming Raksha Bandhan. Gehlot had announced to give cylinders for Rs 500 to women associated with Ujjwala on the budget day. This is a strategy to help the women voters of the state. Focusing on women, Gehlot has halved the bus fare of women within the Rajasthan border in ordinary class buses of Rajasthan Roadways in the budget.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot always believes in achieving the target by drawing new lines. Keeping this in view, this time’s general budget has been prepared with a view to fulfill the public aspirations of the common people of the state. In this, a big relief has been given to the common people. In election years, all governments present populist budgets. This time the budget presented by Gehlot with the theme of savings, relief and progress has silenced the opposition.

Responding to the discussion on the budget, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has also given a message to the Congress high command that even today he has the ability to take everyone along. He is the only leader in Rajasthan Congress who can defeat his opponents. No matter how much noise the opposition parties make, only they have the power to stop the anti-incumbency wave in the state. He will also break the myth of change of power every time.

Looking at all these things, now it seems that in the next assembly elections, the Congress high command can give him the responsibility of forming the Congress government again in Rajasthan, seeing a completely free hand. Ashok Gehlot has made breathtaking announcements from his magic box. Now it has to be seen how much they can be implemented till the elections. If Ashok Gehlot is successful in his mission then no one will be able to stop him from becoming the Chief Minister for the fourth time.

Ramesh Sarraf Dhamora

(The author is a freelance journalist accredited by the Government of Rajasthan. His articles continue to be published in many newspapers of the country.)