Ashok Gehlot proves himself as mass leader in Rajasthan

By Anil SharmannRajasthan chief minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot has once again proved his political acumen as the ruling Congress has been able to perform much-much better in recently held local body elections than earlier thought or imagined by political pundits.nnThe party because of Gehlot?s mass appeal and charisma has even won in places where till now they were not able to win. The party in municipal elections won on 965 of the 2,105 wards in 49 urban local bodies. The BJP was able to win on 736 wards. In fact, the Congress dominated in most of the 49 civic bodies, situated in 24 districts.nnIt is not for the first time that Gehlot who is a magician has proved his political magical trick and obviously proved a point to his detractors. He still is a leader with mass appeal, easily approachable and carries a clean image and is a true politician. His style of functioning is also common man friendly and socially welfare oriented.nnGehlot’s charisma is so much that big issues like Article 370 or Ram Mandir even were not able to sway voters.nnIn local body polls, no one can deny that Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot, who is also deputy chief minister also played an important role and it is because of his extensive travelling all over Rajasthan and easy mingling with the party workers, the party has been able to beat BJP in their strong areas too.nnGehlot is the one who has been instrumental in bringing all the six Mayawati?s Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) legislatures near to the Congress and all are part of the Congress in Rajasthan.nnGehlot in true sense is a magician (his father was a magician and he also known for his magic tricks) and this act has strengthened his position in the state where Congress was able to a thin majority.nnWith six BSP MLAs joining the party, the Congress in Rajasthan now is in comfortable position and the party now has a strength of 107 in 200 seat Rajasthan assembly.nnEarlier in 2009 when Ashok Gehlot was the chief minister of the desert state similar thing had occurred and BSP MLAs had joined the Congress.nnJoining of the BSP MLAs in the Congress not only makes Gehlot stronger but also gives the Congress party a comfortable majority and moreover a stability. Danger was looming large on the Gehlot government as rumours were rife in political circles that situation like Karnataka can emerge in Rajasthan too.nnPre-empting this Ashok Gehlot apparently inducted all these six BSP MLAs into the party.nnThe chief minister denies that they were pressurized or offered any kind of inducements. ?They joined us as they wanted a stable government in the state,? Gehlot told reporters.nnWhatever the CM says, one thing is for sure all these MLAs would soon be getting a return gift. Couple of them will be inducted in the state cabinet while others will be offered chairman post in some boards. In all it is not a bad bargain for the Congress in Rajasthan, rather it is win-win situation.nnMeanwhile, Gehlot who was facing problems and opposition within the party especially from a section of young party leaders will now be able to exert himself and show his power and dominate more in decision making process and now all talks of change of guard in Rajasthan should come to an end. He is the leader and he has proven it time and again. His political skills and leadership qualities can not be questioned.nnOne thing which goes strongly in his favour is that he is a staunch Gandhi family loyalist and even some of his opponents admire him for his political astuteness and jokingly say that he only thinks about politics day and night and even while sleeping.nnOne must not forget that it was Gehlot?s political skills, who as in charge of Gujarat of the Congress during assembly polls in Narendra Modi-Amit Shah bastion was able to bring Congress, which was nearly lifeless, to a very strong position. It was he who was instrumental in turning around table in Karnataka and initially forming a JD(S) and Congress government. Gehlot at that time was AICC general secretary organisation.nnThe writer is a Rajasthan based senior journalist & Political analyst