Rajasthan polls: Ashok Gehlot files papers from Sardarpura, Kharge seeks votes 

Veteran Congress leader and Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot filed his nomination papers from the Sardarpura seat of Jodhpur district on Monday. Gehlot has won all the elections from the seat since 1998, and received 63 per cent votes in the 2018 assembly elections.

The chief minister's wife Sunita Gehlot and son Vaibhav Gehlot accompanied him as he filed his nomination papers. Before filing his nomination, the CM also took his sister's blessings.

After the nomination, a rally was organised at Umaid Singh Stadium, addressed by senior Congress leaders from Rajasthan and Delhi, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Seeking votes for Gehlot, Kharge showered him with praise and said Gehlot is "clean at heart" and "has no enmity with anyone". Kharge also said anyone who works should be promoted.

Taking a swipe at the Centre, Kharge said, "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji opened big factories, which provided jobs to lakhs of people. But the Modi government is snatching away all the jobs one by one and giving the remaining factories to Adani. BJP has brought ED, CBI, IT in place of big companies in the country, which promote Modi government by making false allegations against the Opposition," said Kharge.

Kharge also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misusing central agencies, saying he often sends the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and Central Bureau of Investigation to campaign for the BJP ahead of his speeches in poll-bound states.

"They send ED, Income Tax, CBI for campaigning before Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes to places to give his speeches... You can see what they are doing with Congress people. They accuse us of looting the country, it is you who loot the country," Kharge said.

Referring to the recent ED searches at locations linked to state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara in Rajasthan, Kharge said, "Only talks will not do anything... There should be food, jobs and schools for learning... Nothing will happen in the country by slogans and giving good speeches." The ED had also summoned Gehlot's son.

Accusing Modi of making false promises, Kharge warned, "Do not fall into the trap of BJP, Congress has to be brought back to Rajasthan... Modi ji had said in 2014 — If our government comes, Rs 15 lakh each will be sent to everyone's account, 2 crore jobs will be created every year. But he did not give anything, PM Modi only lies."