Ashok Gehlot is the son of Laxman Singh Gehlot, a magician who used to travel around the country to show his magic tricks.[5] He belongs to the Mali caste.[6][7][8][9][10] Gehlot's father served as the president of the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation for two terms, as the vice-president for one term and was a mining contractor.[11] He is a science and law graduate, he also holds an MA degree in economics. He is married to Sunita Gehlot and has a son and a daughter.[1] His son Vaibhav Gehlot is a politician who contested in the Lok Sabha elections of 2019 from Jodhpur.[12]
He is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. He was influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi at a very young age and was actively engaged in social political work even as a student. During the East Bengali refugees crisis in 1971, he served in the refugee camps in the eastern states of India. It is there when former Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi first identified his organizational skills during one of her visits to the refugee camps. Gehlot was later appointed the first State President of National Students' Union of India and successfully organised Congress's Student Wing in the state.[13] Gehlot is a staunch Gandhiite and he lived in Wardha to adapt his lifestyle as a Gandhiite. He eats before sunset and is a pure vegetarian and enjoys Satvik Meals, thereby making him a teetotaler.[5]
Political career
Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, launching the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), at Banswara, Rajasthan
He contested his first election for Rajasthan Legislative assembly in 1977 for Sardarpura constituency and lost by a margin of 4426 votes to his closest opponent Madhav Singh of the Janata Party. Gehlot had to sell his motorcycle to contest his first election.
In 1980 he contested Lok Sabha election from Jodhpur and won by a margin of 52,519 votes. In 1984 he was appointed as the Union Minister. In 1989 he lost the election from Jodhpur.[14]
Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot meeting the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in New Delhi on 8 January 2013
When the Congress party returned to power in 1991 he was appointed as Union Minister again by then Prime MinisterP.V. Narasimha Rao. He was discharged from his duty in 1993 and headed towards his home state Rajasthan to manage Congress political affairs. In 1998, Congress won a landslide victory by winning 153 out of 200 seats. Ashok Gehlot was appointed as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for the first time.[14]
In 2003, Congress lost Rajasthan and won merely 56 seats. In 2008 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election Congress was short of a majority by 4 seats and Gehlot who was a well-known troubleshooter in Congress was appointed as the Chief Minister to prevent instability and thus he was sworn in for the second time as Chief Minister.[15]
The Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot at the Chief Ministers' Conference on Internal Security, in New Delhi on 16 April 2012
In 2013, Congress suffered its worst-ever defeat by only winning 21 seats in 200 member assembly. Gehlot was then appointed as AICCGeneral Secretary in 2013.[16] He remained at the position till 2018 and after 2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election, when Congress returned to power he was appointed as the Chief Minister for the third time despite the strong candidacy of Sachin Pilot due to his role in the revival of Congress after its worst-ever defeat in Legislative Elections. Sachin Pilot was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister.[17]
Gehlot recently announced that he is in favour of conducting a caste census. He announced that a six per cent additional reservation for the most backward castes within the Other Backward Class (OBC) category in the state will be provided. Varta Broadcasting(Tariq M. Kidwai) helps him to interact with public.[19]
In 2023, Ashok Gehlot's government brought the "Right to Health" bill, which was aimed at providing free medical facilities to all the residents of Rajasthan in every medical establishment in the state. The bill provided that every health establishment, whether public or private, located in Rajasthan will have to provide health facilities in emergency situation free of cost to patient, who is a resident of Rajasthan. Though hailed as a positive step by many, the bill's provisions were condemned by Indian Medical Association and the private doctors of the state. Many of them took to street against the bill and several concerns were raised upon viability of the scheme. The critics of the bill argued that it will bring the private establishment under tight control of bureaucracy, which will impede their proper functioning. The private medical facilities also protested on the fact that the bill hasn't described that how the private medical facilities will be reimbursed after providing free medical facilities to patients in emergency situation. The bill was also criticised for not defining the term "emergency situation". However, after the talks with the stakeholders, Gehlot's government was able to implement the provisions of bill with certain changes. It was informed by government authorities that the hospitals with less that fifty beds were excluded from enforcement of the provisions and only those private hospitals built with the government’s help or subsidies will have to implement the provisions.[21][22][23] With the bringing of universal right to health through this bill, Rajasthan became the first state in India to do so.[24][25]
Jaipur Metro Project
Manmohan Singh being presented a memento by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Phase-1B of Jaipur Metro, at Jaipur, Rajasthan on 21 September 2013.
In 2013, Gehlot also inaugurated the Jaipur Metro Project for bringing efficient transport infrastructure in the state of Rajasthan. The phase I-A of the project was laid down from Mansarovar to Chandpole, while the phase I-B was laid between Chandpole to Badi Chaupar.[26]
Kamdhenu Pashu Bima Yojna
On 12 April 2023, Gehlot launched Kamdhenu Pashu Bima Yojna, an insurance scheme for the milch animals for the resident cattle owners of Rajasthan. Under this scheme, a farmer needs to have at least two milch animal and his annual income shouldn't exceed eight lakh per annum for becoming a beneficiary. The government of Rajasthan also made this scheme available to the farmers having more than eight lacs as annual income, but in that case, they had to pay an annual premium of ₹200. The eligible beneficiaries were required to register for the scheme at their nearest Mehngai Rahat Camp (Inflation relief camps). Gehlot also organised the video conferences to connect directly with the people in order to make them aware of the scheme.[27] As per provision of this scheme, on the death of milch animal a compensation of ₹40,000 was announced to be provided per animal to the cattle owner as insurance claim. The scheme was made available to two animals per family, taking total benefits to ₹ 80,000.[28][29] This scheme, like many others were distributed at the instance of Gehlot through 2,500 Inflation relief camps running across the state, aiming to deliver ten flagship scheme of Gehlot's government to people.[30]
Law and order related reforms
In 2019, Gehlot chaired a meeting of Rajasthan's home department. The questions that were discussed in this meeting included turning down of the registration of new First Information Reports by the Station House Officers in many instances to keep the crime figure in the state low, apparently. Gehlot announced that in such cases, where a police official in charge has not registered an FIR on the complaint, the complainant can lodge his grievance against the official on a special portal of the government launched for keeping the police officials accountable. The SHO or the officer in charge will have to mandatorily register FIR for all the congnisable offences and if they fail to do so, required action will be taken against them. Gehlot also announced the roadmap to recruit more manpower in the police department and immediate promotion of the constables and other staff that was due for the time. This was done to enhance the pace of investigation and inquiry in the cases which were about to come after the enforcement of mandatory registration of FIR.[31]
During his tenure, Gehlot also prioritised checking of crime against women. In 2023, the Government of Rajasthan brought a policy to debar those committing crimes against women from the government jobs by issuing a character certificate mentioning the type of crime they committed and keeping a record of hooligans by the police department of the state, to be shared with the Staff Selection Commission and State Public Service Commission.[32]
Leadership
Gehlot is known for his political acumen and most often, he is referred to as magician (jadugar) by his party colleagues. In 2022, Gehlot was reported to have ensured victory of three Indian National Congress candidate in Rajya Sabha polls, which were being conducted on four seats in the state. While ensuring that horse trading couldn't happen, he also cornered votes of some of the independent electors, who didn't share affiliation with any political party, to vote in favour of Congress candidates. Pramod Tiwari, the Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan, credited Gehlot for his political acumen after his victory in 2022 polls.[33] In 2023, prior to Rajasthan Legislative Assembly elections, Gehlot claimed in a public address at Dholpur, that three Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs, which included former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje and Dholpur MLA, Shobha Rani Kushwaha, helped him save his government from being toppled down in 2020, by some rebel leaders of his own party. However, Raje responded to Gehlot's claim by accusing him of plotting conspiracy against her to create distrust between herself and BJP leadership of state.[34] Gehlot's first stint as Chief Minister was witnessed in 1998, the year, which also saw rise of Sonia Gandhi to the presidency of Indian National Congress. In the election held that year, Jat community is reported to have thrown its weight behind Indian National Congress, as the face of party was veteran leader Parasram Maderna, a member of Jat community. Maderna was also one of the contender for the post of Chief Minister then and Jat community had supported Congress, in a bid to get a Chief Minister from their own community. However, Gehlot was able to sideline Maderna, to create a space for him for the premiership of state. Decades later, Gehlot faced similar situation in his political career, when next generation Congress leader, Sachin Pilot opposed him and tried to assume leadership, like Gehlot did to Maderna. However, according to senior journalist and political analyst, Rajendra Bora: " It was Gehlot's political manoeuvre, which helped him save his position, and he refused to give way to next generation leaders to rise up in state politics." It is opined by political analysts that post his rise in Rajasthan as face of Indian National Congress, Gehlot never allowed alternative leadership to develop in the party.[35]
Veteran journalist and political analyst, Narayan Bareth believes that Gehlot is considered as their biggest political adversary by the Jat leadership of the state of Rajasthan. Ever since his appointment as Chief Minister of State, the political future of two biggest Jat families, which had considerable say in the state's politics, was foredoomed. The Mirdha and Maderna political families, which belonged to Jat community were reduced to insignificant position in the politics of state. While the Mirdhas over the time became non important political entity, Maderna family's political clout was destroyed due to Mahipal Maderna's sex scandal, after which he was sacked from ministry by Gehlot. Gehlot however claims that he has no role in political future of Jat leadership of state. It is also admitted by some political analysts that Gehlot, besides playing political manoeuvre, is apt at handing the crisis situation through deliberations. During Gurjar agitation in state, when Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla came to meet him, Gehlot gave him a portrait of Martin Luther King and persuaded him that the law and order situation shouldn't be distributed during the agitation.[36] It is also alleged that in the Bhanwari Devi murder case, despite knowing that she was blackmailing the Water Resource minister of state, Mahipal Maderna, Gehlot didn't take any step, which resulted in murder of Devi and Maderna along with other convicts were sacked; his conviction, further led to fall in his political graph. Gehlot's political opponent, Vasundhara Raje have also exploited the anguish of Jats against him, as Raje herself is married into Dholpur royal family, which belonged to Jats. It is opined that Congress failed to repeat the electoral victory like 1998 as the support of Jat community to it ceased to exist like earlier, due to Gehlot becoming the Chief Minister in 1998, after sidelining Parasram Maderna.[37]
Gehlot was also able to save his government from being toppled down by rebellion of some of the Congress MLAs, who were considered as loyal to Sachin Pilot, when Pilot claimed in 2020 that Gehlot's government was in minority. In what is called as Rajasthan Political Crisis of 2020, Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, and a colleague of Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot rushed to Delhi, claiming to have support of thirty MLAs. The MLAs of Pilot faction of Congress claimed that Gehlot wanted to oust Pilot from all significant positions, he is holding in Congress party. The Congress leadership, in response to Pilot's activities issued whip and called a meeting of Congress Legislature Party in Jaipur. Pilot, however, refused to attend the meeting, showing complete distrust in Gehlot's leadership. It was later revealed that only twelve MLAs were present in Pilot's camp in Delhi and soon after latter's claim of having support of thirty MLAs, Congress claimed that 109 MLAs have submitted their written consent in favour of Gehlot.[38][39]
Despite opposition in several corners of the state by several influential communities, Gehlot himself believes that he served as the chief minister for three terms because of the support of all the communities of Rajasthan. Speaking to a gathering in 2022, in Bharatpur district, he said:
If all the communities do not love me, do not bless me, then how can I be made the chief minister 3 times… and the biggest thing is that my caste is called Saini, it is called Kushwaha, it is called Mali.” “There is only one MLA of my caste in the assembly, and that is myself… Sometimes, I think that what a lucky person I am, I am so fortunate that the people of Rajasthan have made me chief minister thrice.[40][41]
^"No One Is Made CM On Basis Of Caste: Ashok Gehlot". Outlook. 27 December 2022. Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. ... Gehlot said he is the only MLA from the Mali community in the Rajasthan Assembly and still people have made him the chief minister thrice.
^Siddiqui, Imran Ahmed. "moochh-ki-ladai-gehlots-son-in-prestige-fight". Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020. The biggest factor, however, remains the caste arithmetic. The BJP is banking on the support of the Rajputs, the dominant caste in Jodhpur, Brahmins and Jats. Gehlot is eyeing the OBC votes, especially the Mali community to which he belongs, as well as Muslims and SC/STs.
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