JAIPUR: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot gave a sneak peek into Congress's list of poll guarantees on Wednesday, declaring in AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi's presence that every woman head of a family would receive Rs 10,000 a year in instalments if the party were re-elected to government.
He also said at the rally in Jhunjhunu that 1 crore families would get LPG cylinders at Rs 500 each, expanding the reach of the Ujjwala scheme that currently has about 75 lakh beneficiaries.
The twin commitments are part of Congress's guarantees focused on women voters, whom Gehlot urged to stand by the party. He said they could look forward to some more announcements for their welfare.
Priyanka said Congress in Rajasthan was blessed with both youth and experience, naming Gehlot's arch-rival Sachin Pilot alongside the CM.
She slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre as a "visionless" one that had failed to come out with a proper development roadmap.
Priyanka alleged that PM Narendra Modi's promises were "like empty envelopes", days after raising BJP's hackles with a similar barb at him during a rally in Dausa. She had then accused Modi of dropping an envelope containing Rs 21 as a donation to the Devnarayan temple at Asind in Bhilwara, a remark that led BJP to file a complaint with the Election Commission.
"Their (Centre's) schemes are hollow, whereas the schemes of the Congress government (in Rajasthan) are being implemented on the ground," Priyanka said.
"It is your responsibility to make a leader accountable. The truth is that there are people who indulge in the politics of religion, and that is where their accountability ends. They have understood that during elections, they should talk about religion as everyone's sentiments are connected to it, and that will get them votes."