Gehlot, while talking to media persons, said that he took ‘moral responsibility’ for the turmoil in the state by MLAs loyal to him.
New Delhi: Amid ongoing crisis in Rajasthan Congress, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said that he is not in the race of Congress president. The Chief Minister, after meeting party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence, said that he has ‘apologised’ to Gandhi over the recent crisis in Rajasthan Congress. His meeting with the party president came after a recent crisis in the state amid speculation of elevation of Sachin Pilot as Chief Minister of the state.
Gehlot, while talking to media persons, said that he took ‘moral responsibility’ for the turmoil in the state by MLAs loyal to him.
He said that he was shaken after recent turmoil in the state. “It is my moral responsibility as the Chief Minister to ensure a coordinated effort and for the first time that hasn’t happened. I have expressed my apology to Sonia Gandhi. I have held different posts in the Congress over several years but this is the first time this has happened. This has saddened me. I will not contest elections under these circumstances. Sonia Gandhi will decide whether I stay Chief Minister,” he said.
Earlier, it was said that Gehlot will file his nomination for the president post 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.
In a major embarrassment for the party, two of its observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge had headed back to Delhi since the rebel MLAs refused to accept their demand. Maken had 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 had said after coming back from the state.
