Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has asserted that there's no division in the Congress after industrialist Gautam Adani promised massive investment in the state and alleged the opposition was misleading people on the issue.
Gehlot has been battling criticism since sharing the stage with Adani during the two-day "Invest Rajasthan Summit" last week as the BJP asked him why he was accepting investments from an industrialist who Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has attacked. Gandhi has often questioned Adani's "close ties" with the BJP.
"Were the 3,000 delegates from Congress? We don't make divisions on the basis of who is from the BJP and who is from Congress. Whoever brings investment, will give something to the state...it's the government's duty to give them approval," Gehlot clarified on Sunday.
He also stressed that the opposition BJP would pay a heavy price for "deceiving" people on the issue.
"Gautam Adani came and spoke about Rs 60,000 crore investment. That has been turned into an issue. BJP leaders are misleading people, they have to pay a heavy price for it," the chief minister added.
Earlier on October 8, after the criticism, Rahul Gandhi had backed up Gehlot and clarified his stance, saying that he was against monopoly and not against any corporates. He also said that no state chief would refuse the deal offered to the Rajasthan chief minister Gehlot.
"Mr Adani gave a proposal of Rs 60,000 crore to Rajasthan. No CM would refuse such a proposal. The Rajasthan chief minister didn't give any preferential treatment to Adani or use his political power to help his business," Gandhi told reporters in Karnataka, where he is leading his Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The Adani Group has promised to invest Rs 65,000 crore in Rajasthan over the next 5-7 years by setting up 10,000 MW solar power capacity and creating over 40,000 direct and indirect jobs.
( With inputs from ANI )
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