'Red diary' conspiracy hatched by BJP leaders, not worried about it: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

Ashok Gehlot. Pic/X@ashokgehlot51

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday alleged that the conspiracy of the "red diary" was hatched by BJP leaders in collaboration with a former Rajasthan minister, reported news agency PTI.

"We are not worried about this. Our aim is to form the Congress government again in the state," he told reporters at the Congress war room ahead of the November 25 Rajasthan assembly elections, reported PTI.

Sacked state minister Rajendra Gudha has been alleging that "illegal transactions" involving Gehlot and other leaders are recorded in the diary that he possesses, reported PTI.

Purported pictures of some pages of the diary recently surfaced on social media.

On this, Gehlot once again targeted the BJP government at the Centre, saying, "As far as I understand... I don't know which is the red diary or the black diary, but I feel that all this was a conspiracy hatched at the Union Home Ministry of the government of India."

"The BJP leaders did all this conspiracy along with the minister," he said, apparently referring to Gudha, reported PTI.

"The work we have done has provided good governance. We have faith in the public that they will approve of our work," Gehlot added.

The chief minister also targeted the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the situation in Manipur. He said that the state is burning but "Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah are not able to understand its seriousness".

"The prime minister did not even go there once," Gehlot said, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, the party's Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and former Union minister Jitendra Singh held a meeting at the party's "war room" set up in view of the upcoming state Assembly polls here late on Tuesday night, reported news agency PTI.

Gehlot posted a photo of the meeting on social media platforms on Wednesday. The photo was captioned: "Ek Sath. Jeet Rahe Hain Phir Se (Together. Winning once again)."

Congress leader Mohan Prakash was also present at the meeting.

In the photo, all the leaders are seen sitting in the war room.

Venugopal told reporters on Wednesday that it was a routine meeting.

The Congress general secretary (organisation) said a perception has been created in Rajasthan that there is no unity in the Congress and asserted that the party is very much united.

"All the leaders of the Congress party are fighting the election together. The general mood is in favour of the Congress," he said.

When pointed out by reporters that Gehlot and Pilot have not been seen campaigning together, Venugopal said, "Just wait."

He exuded confidence that the Congress will retain its government in the desert state.

(With inputs from PTI)