Forming govt with SP, BSP as junior partner was Congress’ blunder in UP: Gehlot

“Congressmen, who had been carrying party’s flag for ages, had to hail others. This damaged us to such an extent that we have not been able to win back the people’s heart to this date,” Gehlot said.

Meanwhile, two days after the CBI registered case against him and party’s Rajasthan unit chief Sachin Pilot in the ambulance scam, Gehlot alleged that it was BJP’s attempt to divert attention from “corrupt practices” of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her son.

“They are trying to divert attention from their failures. They are indulging in political vendetta by framing me and Sachin, though the CM is never directly involved in such contracts, which are managed at officer-level,” he claimed.

While demanding Raje’s resignation on moral grounds, Gehlot clarified that he as a chief minister was not directly involved with monitoring of ambulances. “PM’s silence over the alleged involvement of the Rajasthan chief minister and her son with Lalit Modi should be considered as acceptance of guilt and failure to take action,” he said, adding that CBI should first investigate “several cases of corruption committed by Raje and her son”.

Targeting the Modi government, Gehlot said: “The entire government is centralised where no minister has any say.”