Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajasthan State President Madan Rathore on Monday, 5 October 2026, launched a sharp counter-offensive against the Congress, accusing former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of 'vote theft' and alleging that the Gehlot-led government had effectively 'swallowed up' the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)'s iconic 'Elephant' election symbol. Rathore was responding to opposition allegations of electoral malpractice and misuse of power by the current BJP government in Rajasthan.

Gehlot Government in the Dock, Says Rathore

Rathore flatly rejected the opposition's charges, turning the accusations back on the Congress. He alleged that it was the Gehlot government — not the BJP — that had indulged in 'vote theft,' and further claimed that it had absorbed the BSP's 'Elephant' symbol, a pointed reference to widely reported allegations of BSP MLAs merging with the Congress in Rajasthan during the previous administration.

He also questioned the credibility of the Congress's malpractice narrative, asking how the BJP government could have misused power if it had allowed Govind Singh Dotasra to win the Laxmangarh seat in local body elections by a margin of just one vote. 'If we had really misused authority, would that have been possible?' Rathore argued.

Congress's 'Jalebi Race' and Leadership Vacuum

Rathore described the Congress's internal power struggle as a 'Jalebi race' — a colloquial reference to a chaotic, directionless scramble. He named Tika Ram Jully, Ashok Gehlot, Govind Singh Dotasra, and Sachin Pilot as leaders each chasing separate political agendas, rendering the party a fragmented force rather than a cohesive opposition.

Rathore dismissed Dotasra's expressed confidence about the upcoming Panchayat elections, saying it was merely an attempt to mask embarrassment. He claimed that if Dotasra were to honestly accept the public mandate, 'his political shop would shut down immediately.' He also accused Dotasra of making 'aggressive and baseless statements' without credible grounding.

PM Modi's 25 Years of Governance: BJP Plans State-Wide Events

Rathore separately announced that 7 October 2026 holds special significance for the BJP, as it marks 25 years since Prime Minister Narendra Modi first took oath as Chief Minister of Gujarat on 7 October 2001.

To mark the occasion, the Rajasthan BJP will organise the 'Seva Jyoti evam Sankalp' (Flame of Service and Pledge) programme at every district headquarters across the state. BJP workers from every booth will travel to their district headquarters, interact with the public, and connect to a live programme in which PM Modi will personally express his gratitude to citizens.

A torch — symbolising the spirit of service and social responsibility — will be lit at the close of each event. A parallel programme will be held in the Sanganer area of Jaipur with participation from party workers and the general public.

Seva Sankalp Abhiyan: Campaign Context

The 7 October events are the culmination of the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' (Service Pledge Campaign), which began on 17 September — PM Modi's birthday. Rathore said the campaign is designed to communicate Modi's journey of public service and his resolve to build a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India), while reinforcing values of service and patriotism across Rajasthan.

Participants will take a formal pledge to contribute to the needy, serve society, and work in the national interest. The BJP's focus on the anniversary underscores its intent to use the milestone as an organisational and electoral momentum-builder ahead of future elections in the state.