Rajashthan, Dec 25 (ANI): Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot addressing the press conference in presence of Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken and cabinet members at his residence, in Jaipur on Friday. (ANI Photo)
New Delhi [India], April 22 (ANI): With just one year left for the Rajasthan Assembly elections, it is crucial for the Congress high command to resolve the ongoing tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot — a contender for Chief Minister’s position — who met the Gandhis yesterday.
In order to avoid the repetition of the party debacle in Punjab polls where the tussle between Amarinder Singh, who left Congress and formed his own party, and Navjot Singh Sidhu cost the party dearly. As Sachin held deliberations with the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, there is enough indication that Congress will make changes in the leadership of its Rajasthan unit ahead of the state Assembly elections in a bid to retain the power in the state and break the 30-year-old trend of alternative governments in Rajasthan.
In view of the Rajasthan Assembly elections 2023, according to the top sources, timely intervention is important in Rajasthan to win the upcoming polls. “Leadership change in Rajasthan Congress is expected soon. The final decision is likely to be taken soon in view of Assembly elections in 2023. Timely intervention is important in the state of Rajasthan. If any decision of changes has to take place it should be taken immediately. It is important to take a decision timely. So that leaders can get the time to perform better and there could be no issues at the end moment,” said sources.
After facing a major debacle in the five states, the Congress working committee (CWC) had decided to make changes in organization for at least one year ahead of the upcoming elections in various states. Congress convened a three-day key meeting at the residence of Sonia Gandhi, 10 Janpath to discuss the party’s preparations for the upcoming state elections and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including organizational reforms in the party.
The buzz came a day after party leader Sachin Pilot held a meeting with interim president Sonia Gandhi. The meeting took place at 10, Janpath for an hour. Earlier on Wednesday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also held a meeting with Congress Sonia Gandhi. At the beginning of the month, Sachin Pilot had met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party leader Rahul Gandhi. As per the reports, he is continuously in touch with the party high commands.
After the meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Pilot said the Congress aims to form the government again after the coming elections (2023) in Rajasthan. “In the last 30 years, it has been a tradition in Rajasthan that every five years there’s a government change. If we do the right things, which we have started to do, as the committee of the AITC that was formed two years ago on which some steps have been taken in the right direction. We need to move forward in that direction to make sure that Congress wins the 2023 polls in Rajasthan. It is very important because soon after that we have Lok Sabha elections,” Pilot told reporters after meeting Sonia Gandhi.
Pilot also said that in the meeting, organisational elections and how to strengthen the party were discussed. In July last year, Pilot had rebelled against Ashok Gehlot and had camped in Haryana accompanied by MLAs who supported him. He finally announced his return to Rajasthan after the Gandhi family intervened and reportedly assured him that his grievances would be addressed. A committee was also set up under Ajay Maken to look into the issues raised by Pilot and his camp. (ANI)
My resignation permanently with Sonia Gandhi: Ashok Gehlot on leadership change in Rajasthan
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 23 (ANI): Amid speculations of a leadership change in Rajasthan Congress, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said that his resignation is ‘permanently present’ with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi.
“My resignation is permanently present with Sonia Gandhi, so there is no point in repeatedly asking if the Chief Minister is going to change. The Chief Minister will change when it has to be changed and no one will get to know anything about it,” said Gehlot in Jaipur in Rajasthan.
He further added that there have been talks of changing the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for the last two and three days. The talks of leadership change came up after former deputy CM Sachin Pilot met with Congress President Sonia Gandhi recently.
Earlier on Friday, Gehlot’s remarks came after Congress leader Sachin Pilot met party president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday. The pilot’s meeting with the Congress’ High Command sparked speculation about a change of guard in Rajasthan Congress leadership.
