As part of its strategy, the BJP, having projected Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as its leader, has started putting pressure on the Congress to declare its chief ministerial candidate.

Former state BJP chief Ramdas Agrawal said the party had decided to project Shekhawat as its chief minister in view of the political situation, which goes against declared party policy.

Agrawal has claimed different Congress leaders were being projected as future chief minister in different parts of the state, depending upon the caste configuration of the respective region. ``This is cheating the people and the different castes. They should declare who their chief minister will be,'' he said.

Meanwhile, while contending Congress leaders have been ``organising'' self-projection in the media, the BJP leadership has started fanning this rivalry. Some BJPworkers of Jaipur district said a central BJP leader had asked them to spread the word that the Congress had decided to make a senior leader at the Centre its chief minister. This was expected to lead to back-stabbing and sabotage by other Congressmen.

The BJP is also trying to set the agenda for election issues. In view of widespread feelings favouring a change of regime, this would be the most crucial task for the party and also the most difficult one.

The party hopes to convince the public about its claim to bring unprecedented development in the state, unless the Congress manages to project effectively the BJP Government's failures.