The Opposition That Rajasthan Never Had: How Ashok Gehlot Is Becoming What BJP Never Could

Rajasthan’s politics is witnessing something unprecedented: the presence of an 'Opposition'.

The tradition of changing governments every five years in Rajasthan made both the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) complacent. When one was in power, the other never felt the need to become an Opposition and instead patiently waited for its turn to govern.

However, this arrangement appears to be changing. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot has been active over the past few months, challenging the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government on multiple fronts.

From raising issues about the closure of several schemes initiated by his government to opposing the reversal of various decisions, Gehlot has also been questioning the BJP government’s failure to deliver on its promises.

His latest criticism targets the ineffectiveness of the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS), a scheme launched under his tenure. Private hospitals have suspended cashless treatment under RGHS due to the non-payment of dues by the current government.

Although payments were halted amid suspicions of a Rs 100 crore scam involving doctors and medical stores, Gehlot politicised the matter, alleging the government is indifferent to the poor.

He levelled similar accusations regarding the suspension of Annapurna food packet distribution for the poor and the halting of projects such as Fintech University and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Social Science.

Gehlot also questioned the BJP government over the rollback of district status for nine of the seventeen areas declared as districts by his administration and alleged that this government prefers "dismantling rather than building".

He has further criticised the BJP over its own electoral commitments, particularly the delay in concluding the Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment exam 2021 and the promised reforms in the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC).

The possible closure of government-run English medium schools and a review of the pension scheme have also given Gehlot further ground to brand the Bhajan Lal government as anti-people.

What's Different

People from other states may not find Gehlot’s attacks unusual, since that is typically the role of an Opposition. However, in Rajasthan, this is a departure from the norm.

Remember 2023? When the BJP was in the Opposition, but woke up to this fact and appeared to realise its role only six months before the Assembly elections and began criticising the Gehlot government at that late stage.

Those criticisms, though focused on issues like corruption, paper leaks, law and order, and last-minute welfare schemes, came too late. The BJP’s delayed Opposition strategy may have cost them a more decisive electoral mandate.

The BJP could win only 115 seats, its lowest tally in the last two decades when forming government. On the contrary, Congress won 70 seats, its highest tally in the last two decades in a losing attempt.

Among the reasons for the BJP’s weakened mandate was that it never became the vigilant Opposition that Gehlot is trying to become now.

Interestingly, Gehlot himself had not been an assertive Opposition leader during Vasundhara Raje’s two terms as CM. The shift in approach began with Bhajan Lal Sharma’s appointment as CM.

"Both Gehlot and Vasundhara are not known for aggressive politics; they play silently," a political commentator from Hanumangarh told Swarajya, suggesting this passive approach had been characteristic of both leaders..

It is widely speculated in Rajasthan political circles that an informal understanding existed between Gehlot and Vasundhara regarding rotating power-sharing, which kept them from directly attacking each other.

With Sharma’s appointment, that understanding appears to have been disrupted, prompting Gehlot to adopt a more confrontational posture. However, the change in Gehlot's strategy is also rooted in earlier developments.

What Changed Gehlot

In 2013, Congress faced a crushing defeat, winning only 21 seats in the 200-member Assembly. The loss was so severe that Congress barely qualified as the Opposition party. This defeat demoralised Gehlot and pushed him into political inactivity. He did not step forward to play the role of Opposition.

The 2023 defeat, however, felt different. With 70 seats, Congress had its strongest performance in a losing election in two decades, giving Gehlot fresh hope of a potential comeback.

In contrast, Vasundhara Raje’s 2018 loss came amidst slogans like Modi tujhse bair nahin, Vasundhara teri khair nahin (no grudges against Modi, but Vasundhara will not be spared), signalling personal dissatisfaction with her leadership and dimming prospects of her return.

“In 2018, there was a wave against Vasundhara, suggesting she would not be allowed to return, so she never tried. That’s not the case with Gehlot, and he sees hope of returning to power,” a Chittorgarh resident told Swarajya.

Gehlot’s age, 74, is also a factor. At this stage, extended inactivity is often interpreted as political retirement, which could diminish his relevance.

He also faces pressure to remain politically active due to past challenges from former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, who had openly eyed his position during the last tenure.

Congress’s poor performance in Gehlot’s western Rajasthan stronghold, compared to relatively better results in Pilot’s eastern Rajasthan base, has further compelled Gehlot to take charge of reviving the party in the state.

Bhajan Lal Sharma’s perceived weak leadership, stemming from inexperience and limited support from the bureaucracy and his party, is making it easier for Gehlot to challenge the BJP government.

What Happened to Pilot

Sachin Pilot was a rising figure in Rajasthan politics. Under his leadership as state party president, Congress returned to power in 2018 with 100 seats, a sharp increase from 21 in 2013.

He was appointed Deputy CM but continued to harbour ambitions for the top post. In 2020, he led a rebellion with 18 MLAs, demanding the CM position. The rebellion failed, and though not expelled, he was removed from his posts and sidelined.

Gehlot then appointed his trusted aide Govind Singh Dotasra as state Congress president. Dotasra, a Jat leader from the dominant OBC community, replaced Pilot, who wields influence over Gujjars, another influential OBC caste.

Pilot remained confined to eastern Rajasthan and played a key role in securing victories for Congress in the 2023 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections in that region. However, his turbulent relationship with Gehlot kept him away from the centre stage.

The last blow was dealt to him in the November 2024 Rajasthan bypoll for seven seats, where the Congress could win only one seat, Dausa. Critically, the party failed to retain three seats: Deoli-Uniara, Jhunjhunu, and Ramgarh, all in Pilot’s sphere of influence.

Deoli-Uniara borders Pilot’s Tonk constituency, and Jhunjhunu and Ramgarh fall in north-east Rajasthan, where Pilot is also influential. Although some suggest Pilot’s involvement in the Maharashtra Assembly elections diverted his attention, the defeats further diminished his standing.

In 2025, Pilot remains confined to his region and engaged in Congress’s organisational affairs as an All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary. He is not as visible on the ground as Gehlot, who continues touring the state.

“Ashok Gehlot has great timing when it comes to raising issues,” Rajasthan Pradesh Congress social media coordinator, Dr Sanjeev Rajpurohit, told Swarajya. While declining to comment on Pilot directly, he added, “In today’s scenario, the Gehlot group is on the front line in Rajasthan.”

A similar view was echoed by the political commentator from Hanumangarh, who noted, “Pilot is just staying in Congress without any influence. Gehlot and Dotasra are managing state politics. Pilot is retained only for the Meena-Gujjar vote bank in east Rajasthan.”

Pilot’s limited presence in the state further reflects his current political priorities. “He is settled in Delhi,” Rajasthan journalist Vivek Shrivastava told Swarajya. The media buzz suggests Pilot is trying to mend his strained ties with the Gandhi family since his 2020 rebellion.

He appears to have realised that regaining influence within the party requires the Gandhi family’s support. Hence, he is investing time in Delhi before re-entering the political landscape in Rajasthan.

Advantage Gehlot?

In contrast, Gehlot carries no baggage of past missteps and is free to focus on his future. With Dotasra backing him, he has firm control over the party organisation in Rajasthan.

With his ally Tika Ram Jully as the Leader of the Opposition, who served as Social Justice Minister under Gehlot, the former CM maintains influence over party legislators as well.

Another advantage is that Gehlot does not suffer from widespread unpopularity, unlike Vasundhara Raje. Even exit polls identified him as the most popular choice for CM.

His popularity is evident in his interactions with government officials, which enables him to address public grievances effectively. Simultaneously, he continues to remind people of his welfare schemes.

As he attacks the Bhajan Lal government, Gehlot is also rebuilding the Congress organisation. His focus has been on the Mewar and Marwar regions, particularly the Bikaner division.

He has also leveraged public dissatisfaction over the reversal of district statuses. For instance, he criticised the revocation of division status for Sikar and district status for Neem Ka Thana during public meetings.

Meanwhile, the Bhajan Lal government’s messaging has been weak. The BJP has failed to communicate the rationale behind its decisions, resulting in a lack of public support.

CM Sharma, a first-time MLA, is yet to emerge as a charismatic leader, especially when Ashok Gehlot brings the experience of six MLA terms and three tenures as CM.

Gehlot’s primary challenger, Vasundhara Raje, remains sidelined. No other BJP leader seems poised to counter him effectively. Whether Pilot can return to state politics with enough strength to challenge Gehlot remains to be seen.

Dr Rajpurohit believes Gehlot is currently Rajasthan’s strongest political figure, though he adds, “But only as of today,” leaving room for Pilot’s potential resurgence. For now, however, Gehlot stands unopposed as the most dominant political voice in the state.