BJP Ignored Congress Projects, May Pay The Price

It was for the first time in 2013 that BJP had managed to sweep the tribal districts of Banswara and Dungarpur, traditionally believed to be a Congress bastion. The nine assembly seats, all reserved for scheduled tribes, unanimously voted for BJP. Five years down the line, they feel cheated.Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, during his second tenure from 2008 to 2013, had paid much attention to the district. A strong representation ensured that Banswara’s demand for a railway line, a national highway and power plants were accepted. He even had work initiated during his tenure. However, BJP, which rode to power on the promise that these would be completed, put everything on hold. The tribals were left dejected and anguished.The projects were expected to change the fate and face of the two districts, bringing in development and the much-needed jobs for the local youth, who have only recently become aware of the benefits of education.There are other issues too. BJP failed to develop the infrastructure at the Govind Guru Tribal University (GGTU), Banswara, which is yet another Congress-government’s project. According to locals, the ruling party deliberately chose to ignore. Additionally, the BJP government failed to initiate repair work of the Mahi canal, which is considered as the life-line of Banswara, budget allocations for which were made almost every year. The district hospitals here do not have doctors and there is a serious need to push the education sector.It was probably because of chief minister Vasundhara Raje, August 9 was declared a holiday in the two districts to mark the World Tribal Day. She also announced to waive off co-operative loans of small and marginal farmers in the tribal sub-plan areas (TSP), which covered both Banswara and Dungarpur. However, many believe that it was a case of too late and two little.But trouble is brewing in the tribal belt now with sections of local youth gathering to demand a separate ‘Bhil Mina state’. The group under the banner of Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) for the first time has fielded candidates on three of the five assembly seats of Banswara and on all the four seats of Dungarpur, which too has complaints of neglect.The ruling party, to fight anti-incumbency, has dropped two senior leaders – Jeetmal Khant and Dhan Singh Rawat, who was a state minister and the incumbent MLA from Ghatol Navneet Lal. It has also replaced two of the sitting MLAs from Dungarpur.