Ashok Gehlot Accuses Centre of Remote Controlling Rajasthan, Weakens Chief Minister's Authority

On Friday, Ashok Gehlot, a former chief minister of Rajasthan, said that the Centre was using remote control to run the state and weakening the power of the elected chief minister.

He said that for the last three months, the state doesn't seem to have a government.

According to him, the Centre is imposing the Gujarat model in Rajasthan and ministers are unable to choose the private secretaries they want.

"The BJP administration has been in power in the state for two or three months. Every family debates the reason for the absence of government. It is not the chief minister's fault alone, in my opinion. After relocating from the official chief minister's house, which is now assigned to the next occupant, Gehlot told reporters, "It is a remote-controlled government which is against the spirit of democracy."

He went on, "An elected Chief Minister has power, and the government is governed well because of that power. The government is under the direct supervision of them (the Centre). According to rumors, deputy chief ministers have greater authority than the chief minister, and the chief secretary serves as the de facto chief minister." Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal responded to his remarks by stating that all three branches of democracy are cooperating in the state, in contrast to the previous administration's division of power between Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot. Meghwal seemed to be alluding to this dispute.

Gehlot has previously said that the people would be the ones who suffer the most if the chief minister's power is diminished. "The chief minister cannot govern without authority." According to the Congress lawmaker, there's a chance that BJP members are "conspiring" to damage Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

"What would you like? This should be addressed by the prime minister. "What is the Prime Minister's desire for the nation?" he inquired.

This exemplifies the prevalence of authoritarian inclinations in the nation. "Double-engine" implies that both engines should have the same capacity, but this isn't the case in this instance, Gehlot said.

Meghwal said that in comparison to the Gehlot administration's two months in office, the BJP government under Bhajanlal Sharma had accomplished more work in those two months.

"In the state, the three branches of government—legislature, executive branch, and judiciary—cooperate, in contrast to the two power centers of the former Congress administration. Meghwal said, "Ashik Gehlot headed one, while Sachin Pilot commanded the other.