The BJP faced challenges in the Rajasthan election due to Ashok Gehlot’s popular freebies and extensive advertising by the Congress. Exam paper leaks and rising crimes against women also impacted the election. Minority appeasement allegations against the Gehlot government further influenced voters. Anindya Banerjee reported
The Rajasthan Election 2023 was characterized by a lack of unity within the BJP and a strong campaign by the Congress. Despite the Congress’ efforts, the BJP emerged as the winner in the election. One of the key issues that affected the election was the leak of 16 exam papers, which sparked widespread anger among the younger population in the state. These leaks, which are now being investigated as scams by central agencies, have become a regular occurrence in Rajasthan, earning it the reputation of being the paper leak capital of India. The Congress leader, Sachin Pilot, criticized the Gehlot government for not taking sufficient action to address this issue.
Prior to the election, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids on the premises of state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra as part of a money laundering probe related to the exam paper leak case. Dotasra, who was the former education minister, was accused by the BJP of being involved in the scam. A whistleblower, Kirodi Lal Meena, revealed that three ministers and six MLAs were among the key figures involved in the scam.
It is widely known in Rajasthan that leaked exam papers can be obtained at a cost ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. This revelation further fueled public outrage and eroded trust in the education system.
Another significant issue that influenced the election was the high incidence of crimes against women in Rajasthan. The state has witnessed a significant increase in crimes against women, with registered cases rising from 18,344 in 2010 to 41,623 in 2019. This surge in crime, coupled with specific incidents that gained attention on social media, deeply impacted the minds of Rajasthani women, who make up a significant portion of the electorate. Union minister Anurag Thakur criticized Rajasthan’s poor performance in addressing crimes against women and highlighted a specific case of a woman being gang-raped in Alwar in front of her husband.
The Congress also faced backlash due to allegations of minority appeasement. The Udaipur beheading incident, where a tailor was attacked for supporting a suspended BJP leader, became a focal point for the BJP’s accusations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah both raised this issue during their rallies, accusing the Congress of playing vote bank politics.
In addition to the Udaipur incident, there were other instances that supported the BJP’s claims of minority appeasement. Protests were held in Jaipur by Hindu organizations, alleging increased terrorist activities and threats to Hindu shopkeepers. A 65-year-old priest was also allegedly attacked in Kalakho village, which was blamed on the appeasement policy of the Gehlot government.
Overall, the BJP’s allegations of exam paper leaks, high crimes against women, and minority appeasement were supported by a series of incidents, leading to a tarnished image of the Congress in the eyes of voters..