Dotasra accuses RLP MP Beniwal of double standards on issue of alliance with Cong

Jaipur, Nov 9 (PTI) Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra Saturday accused Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) MP Hanuman Beniwal of double standards on the issue of alliance with the Congress in the bypolls.

He said Beniwal is a respected MP of the INDIA bloc but the Congress will not be "mortgaged" in Rajasthan.

Addressing an election rally in Khinvsar assembly constituency of Nagaur district where bypoll will be held on November 13, Dotasra said, "You (Beniwal) yourself say that you will not do any 'samjhauta' or agreement... And when we (Congress) declared our candidate, you said the agreement was broken." Beniwal was elected from Khinvsar constituency of Nagaur district in the 2023 assembly elections but contested the Lok Sabha polls from Nagaur as part of the INDIA bloc and won.

The Congress decided to fight the bypoll in Khinvsar without any alliance with the RLP and fielded its candidate Ratan Chaudhary. Beniwal's wife Kanika Beniwal is contesting as the RLP candidate.

At the rally, Dotasra said, "Hanuman Beniwal is a respected MP of our INDIA alliance but (we) will not mortgage Congress in Rajasthan. Congress workers should remain alive, Congress workers' respect should remain." He said the Congress has not ended its alliance with Beniwal and will stand by him in Parliament.

He also clarified the Congress will not go for alliance in the panchayati raj and urban local bodies elections.

"Congress will contest the elections. We do not outsource the party. Even today, when the matter of INDIA alliance comes, the Congress party will stand with Hanuman Beniwal in Lok Sabha, but we will not let the party workers be insulted and we will fight for their respect," he said.

Bypolls will also be held in six other seats on November 13 and results will be declared on November 23.

Attacking the ruling BJP, Dotasra alleged the party came to power in Rajasthan by spreading lies and deceit but its government has failed to deliver.

"In the assembly elections held 10 months ago, the BJP came to power by misleading, spreading lies and deceit and by getting propaganda done through the prime minister. What has the BJP government given in 10 months of rule has to be considered. The government has failed to deliver," he claimed.

The Congress leader also accused the BJP of not fulfilling its election promises.

"The people of the state gave the mandate to the BJP on the big promises made by the prime minister but after coming to power, it selected the chief minister by just drawing a slip of paper," he said.

Dotasara said that in 10 months in Rajasthan, the BJP has brought no new scheme and has no achievement to tell.

He alleged that the chief minister is moving around in a helicopter, delivering speeches, touring and misleading people. PTI SDA ZMN