Ex-Raj CM blames misinformation campaign of BJP for poll debacle

New Delhi, Dec 18: Former

Chief Minister

on Wednesday blamed the "misinformation campaign" of the

leaders, including Narendra Modi, for his party's rout in the recent Assembly elections in the desert state.

"No one whether it was Narendra Modi or the local leaders of BJP, could counter our development plank... misinformation campaign of the BJP, which spread lies against us through the social media and by distributing CDs about our leaders, the communal division that they created, I think these all factors must be behind this," he said outside Parliament here.

Gehlot said there was no anti-incumbency wave against him in Rajasthan.

The senior Congress leader from Rajasthan was asked to comment on the reasons behind his party's defeat in the recent assembly elections where the BJP has secured 163 out of the 200 seats in the state assembly. Asked why he or his party were not able to counter the misinformation campaign, Gehlot said, "It is easy to destroy a building than to build it.

Casteist and religious sentiments were provoked and I think these must be factors." He said in his meetings with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, he "briefed them about the verdict that has come there and the conditions in which we contested the elections."

Gehlot said there was no anti-incumbency wave against him in the State and "I feel that even if there was a wave against my Government, we would not have suffered the kind of defeat that we have witnessed this time."

He said his government's social security schemes such as the distribution of free medicines were very popular in the state and are being followed by many other states also.

PTI