Rajasthan Congress leaders engaged in 'internal rift': Smriti Irani

Union minister Smriti Irani on Sunday asserted that Congress leaders in Rajasthan were using "BJP's shoulder" to settle score with each other, but cautioned them against making people suffer during a pandemic because of their "internal rift".

She also assured the people of Rajasthan during a Jansamvad address via a video link that the BJP, even though it is not in power in the state, will continue to serve them.

Her statement on the "rift" within the Rajasthan Congress has come at a time when political parties in the state are embroiled in an acrimonious fight ahead of the June 19 Rajya Sabha polls.

The Rajasthan BJP has alleged that there are "two power centres" in the Ashok Gehlot government. And the Congress has filed a police complaint, alleging the BJP was poaching its MLAs, who were holed up in two resorts in a bid to keep the flock together.

"It is known that it is an internal rift and BJP's shoulder is being used so that one leader can attack the other. Amid this political drama, the internal rift within the Congress should not cost the people at a time when there is pandemic," Irani said.

"At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP were targeted, BJP focused on continuous dialogue. The government gave priority to the national policy over politics," she said during the address from New Delhi.

The people of the country are assured that their prime minister is serving the nation, and highlighted the decisions taken by the Modi government during the past six years and also the decisions to contain the coronavirus.

She said 38 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts were opened in six years, including 20 crore of women, so that the government could directly transfer money to the beneficiaries but the scheme was once criticised.

Free LPG refill was provided to 8 crore families during lockdown, including 66.77 lakh in Rajasthan, she added.

Union minister and Bikaner MP Arjun Ram Meghwal said the Congress is the "genesis of corruption" in the country and its government in the state has discriminated against some people in ration distribution during the pandemic.

Union minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the Modi government has done "historical" work for public welfare and through the efficient management, the prime minister has presented India as a role model to the world.

BJP state president Satish Poonia accused Chief Minister Gehlot of doing a "political drama" to hide his governance failures.