Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Saturday, 6 June took a pointed swipe at former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, asserting that the senior Congress leader's public statements consistently betray a preoccupation with party colleague Sachin Pilot. The remarks were made during Sharma's two-day visit to Bhilwara, on the tour's concluding day.

What Triggered the Remarks

Sharma's comments came in direct response to Gehlot's recent statement on the Manesar incident, in which the former chief minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of horse-trading to destabilise his government during his last tenure. Speaking to reporters, Sharma suggested that Gehlot's political commentary is invariably coloured by his fraught relationship with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks and, more pointedly, by his rivalry with Pilot. Sharma described the dynamic as an internal Congress matter, but noted that Gehlot 'frequently returns to targeting Pilot in his public remarks.'

Bhilwara Visit: Development Announcements

Sharma began his day at 5:00 am, staying overnight at Shivraj Pipada's residence before heading for a morning walk in Khari Ka Lamba village in the Gulabpura subdivision. After a temple visit, he engaged with local residents and heard their grievances. Among those he met was 107-year-old Kanku Devi, wife of Phoolchand, who blessed him and said she had 'witnessed such a government for the first time.' Sharma inquired whether she was regularly receiving her pension benefits.

For the Gram Panchayat, the Chief Minister announced a series of development measures: establishment of a Primary Health Centre (PHC), construction of a sports stadium, development of a Krishi Bhavan (Agriculture Building), introduction of Commerce and Science streams at the government school, and immediate removal of encroachments in the water catchment area of Dharmi Pond.

Ratri Chaupal and Grassroots Outreach

On Friday evening, Sharma participated in a Ratri Chaupal (night community gathering) in Khari Ka Lamba village, interacting extensively with women, farmers, and residents. Discussions centred on rural development, women's empowerment, and agricultural concerns. Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa, local legislators, and organisational office-bearers from Bhilwara and neighbouring districts were present.

Sharma Targets Congress on Corruption and Women's Quota

Addressing the gathering, Sharma cited the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, and questioned the Congress's position on the legislation. He also targeted the party on corruption, arguing that welfare funds routinely failed to reach intended beneficiaries under previous governments. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Jan Dhan Yojana and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system with eliminating leakages and ending what he called the 'cut-money culture' in welfare delivery.

With assembly-level outreach intensifying, Sharma's Bhilwara tour signals the BJP's continued focus on ground-level governance optics ahead of the political cycle.