Union water resources minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s remark that the Centre will give Rs 46,000 crore for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) on the “condition” that the BJP is voted to power has enraged the Congress, which has alleged that national resources were being used by the Narendra Modi government to influence voting patterns.

The canal project is an emotional issue in Rajasthan because it will make water available to several districts by harvesting excess water in the desert state’s rivers during the rainy season. The state is bearing the cost so far, with a budgetary provision of Rs 9,600 crore in 2022-23 and Rs 13,500 crore in 2023-24, but chief minister Ashok Gehlot has requested the Prime Minister to declare it a national project and give financial aid to cover the estimated expenses of over Rs 40,000 crore.

The Prime Minister had promised to help in his public rallies before the 2018 elections but is not known to have done anything. Now, the central minister has triggered a controversy by saying: “We will give Rs 46,000 crore. But the only condition is — form our government.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said Shekhawat’s statement showed that the BJP had no sympathy for the people and the project had not been granted national status only because of political considerations.

“They are driven by the lust for power,” Khera said, adding that the Jal Shakti minister, who hails from Rajasthan, was using the central grant to seek votes from the people for the elections later this year.

Khera recalled that Prime Minister Modi had announced a special package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore for Bihar in2015 but forgot his promise after losing the election.

Modi had dramatically said at a public rally: “How much should I give — 10,000 crore, 25,000 crore, 50,000 crore, 70,000 crore…. Okay, let me give Rs 1.25 lakh crore.” In 2014, Modi had taunted Rahul Gandhi for talking about central grants to states by asking whether he was bringing money from his maternal uncle’s house.

The resources belong to the country and the states have a legitimate right over them. The BJP, however, was accused in the recent Karnataka elections of using its power to manipulate voting patterns. BJP president J.P. Nadda had said at a public rally that “people should ensure that Modi’s blessings continue for Karnataka”. Union home minister Amit Shah had said the election was meant to “hand over the destiny of Karnataka into Modi’s hands”.

The Congress had reacted angrily, saying the BJP was threatening the people of Karnataka that central assistance would stop if the BJP was not voted to power. The BJP has used the “double-engine” government as its pet theme in elections, arguing that the state’s development will suffer if the BJP is ousted from power.

The Congress has accused the Modi government of stopping the sale of rice through the Open Market Sale Scheme only to ensure that the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka is not able to fulfil its promise of giving 10kg free rice each month to every impoverished person.

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said in a statement last Sunday: “Once the Congress government was formed in Karnataka, as threatened by BJP president Nadda, Modi’s ‘blessings’ have been withdrawn at break-neck speed. Regardless of claims otherwise made by the Modi government, it is now absolutely clear that the June 13 order by the Union ministry of consumer affairs, food and food distribution discontinuing the OMSS for states was targeted at Karnataka, which procured more than 95 per cent of all rice bought by state governments under the scheme this year.”

Ramesh added: “The fact is that the FCI (Food Corporation of India) has more than enough stocks to meet Karnataka’s and the country’s needs, but the Modi government is trying its very bestto close every single avenue for the Karnataka government to fulfil its guarantee to the people of the state”