The political landscape in Rajasthan has been stirred with controversy after Congress leader and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s cabinet member, Rajendra Singh Gudha, leaked three pages of a ‘Red Diary.’ The leaked pages allegedly contain information about corruption in the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), which is headed by CM Ashok Gehlot’s son, Vaibhav Gehlot.
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) sees this as an opportune moment, especially with the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections scheduled later this year. BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed that the ‘Red Diary’ revelations not only implicate CM Gehlot but also his son, making it a potential Bofors moment for the Rajasthan government.
The BJP emphasizes that their allegations against the Congress and other opposition parties are not baseless, comparing it to the Bofors scandal of the 1980s, where similar allegations led to a political upheaval.
Gudha was sacked from the Rajasthan cabinet after he alleged an increase in incidents of crime against women in the state, amid discussions about the sexual assault in Manipur. Following his removal, he addressed reporters while waving the ‘Red Diary,’ claiming it exposed the corruption within Gehlot’s government.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the ‘Red Diary’s’ potential to expose corruption, Gehlot has denied its existence altogether. Gudha, however, insists that he will reveal further details of alleged corruption in the Gehlot government in the coming days. He cited a purported conversation in the diary involving Gehlot, his Officer on Special Duty, and Tourism Development Corporation Chairman discussing settling accounts of the RCA.
Gudha asserts that the diary contains evidence of corruption by the Ashok Gehlot government and vows to release the information even if he goes to jail. The controversy has escalated tensions between the Congress and the BJP, with the latter leaving no stones unturned to win the upcoming elections in Rajasthan.
According to Gudha, CM Gehlot appears nervous about the contents of the ‘Red Diary,’ and he is prepared to face consequences, claiming that the diary’s details will be made public. However, the Congress members’ treatment of Gudha in the Assembly has raised questions about their response to the allegations.
The leaked ‘Red Diary’ has become a significant point of contention in the poll-bound state of Rajasthan, with both parties using it as a potential tool to influence the upcoming elections. As the situation unfolds, the political climate in Rajasthan remains highly charged.