New Delhi: Amid revolt of more than Congress 90 MLAs, Congress central leadership may penalise Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. As per the report, the party may not endorse his name as new party chief. The top leadership of the party is reportedly not happy over the revolt of Gehlot supported MLAs.
Earlier, it was said that Gehlot will submit his paper for the president post on Tuesday as the election is scheduled to be held on October 17. Amid Gehlot’s elevation as new boss of the party, Sachin Pilot was the likely choice of central leadership for the post of Rajasthan CM. Meanwhile, pro-Gehlot MLAs opposed any such move to elevate Pilot as new CM of the state. As many as 92 MLAs had on Sunday revolted against the party’s decision and submitted mass resignation to the state assembly speaker. The MLAs said that they will never accept Pilot as CM of the state as he had earlier revolted against Ashok Gehlot government. They said that the new chief minister should be elected by the Congress legislatures instead of the central team.
Meanwhile, former Madhya Pradesh CM and Gandhi family loyalist Kamalnath has intervened. The veteran Congress leader is likely to meet party chief Sonia Gandhi and to mediate in the Rajasthan crisis. In a major embarrassment for the party, two of its observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge headed back to Delhi since the rebel MLAs refused to accept their demand. These two leaders will meet Sonia Gandhi and brief about the ongoing situation.
Maken slammed the show of defiance, terming it “indiscipline”. “It would be a conflict of interest as the resolution would be passed when Ashok Gehlot may already be party chief. So, he empowers himself to decide on his own successor in Rajasthan,” he said.
