BJP 'betrayed people', will lose elections in Rajasthan: Hardik Patel

Udaipur, Dec 3: Ahead of the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly elections, Patidar leader Hardik Patel said "the BJP betrayed people" and predicted that the saffron party would lose the polls in the western state.

Patel said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would become an opposition party in the December 7 elections in Rajasthan where people are keen to "vote out" the party.

Patidar leader Hardik Patel

During his recent visit to Udaipur, the leader from Gujarat also accused the BJP of "betraying" people, especially youths in the name of job creation.

"I am holding meetings in villages of Rajasthan and the feedback from public is that they want change now. The BJP betrayed people, especially youths in the name of jobs. There is no job creation and posts in large numbers are lying vacant in the state," Patel said.

"The best place for the BJP is in opposition. It is a strong party to be in opposition and people are willing to do that in elections," he said.

Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje

Vasundhara Raje has been the chief minister of the state for the full term of 5 years. She was also the chief minister from 2003 to 2008. In 2008, the BJP lost the elections and Congress party made its veteran leader Ashok Gehlot the chief minister of Rajasthan. In 2013, the BJP returned with a massive mandate and Vasundhara Raje again took the leadership of the state.

BJP releaseing manifesto for Rajasthan polls

Patel said the BJP governments at the centre and in Rajasthan "betrayed people on every front" and did "just vote-bank politics".

"I have held meetings in Bhilwara and Udaipur and will cover Kota and Jhalawar districts before the campaigning gets over. I am trying to understand issues here so that I can take up them more prominently," said Patel, who has been on frequent visits to the state.

He said he was not campaigning in support of Congress candidates but meeting people on behalf of his Kisan Kranti Sena to raise the issues of farmers, tribal and youths. Polling in Rajasthan will take place on December 7. (Image credit - ANI/Twitter)

Who will win Rajasthan this time – Congress or BJP?

In 2013, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won 163 seats and the Congress 23 seats in the 14th assembly election. Elections in Rajasthan have been a two-party affair. Simmering farm discontent in rural Rajasthan is emerging as the biggest challenge for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its attempt to retain power in the desert state. Only a quarter of Rajasthan's households live in urban areas and farmers constitute a strong and influential block of voters in the state. The general consensus seems to be that the BJP may retain the urban vote, while the Congress will take the rural.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs