New Delhi: Amid the frenzy around the Congress presidential polls, sources said that the Congress high command will take a decision over the change of guard in Rajasthan after the presidential polls are over, thereby indicating that chief minister Ashok Gehlot is safe for now. “The issue of who will be Rajasthan chief minister will be decided after the presidential polls are over,” a senior AICC functionary informed.
“Ashok Gehlot appears safe for now but I can’t say what will happen in the next few weeks. It can go either way,” the leader said when asked if Gehlot’s arch rival Sachin Pilot would get lucky this time.
The Gehlot-Pilot factional fight had blown out of proportion recently when the Congress high command attempted to ensure a smooth transition of power in Jaipur by promoting Gehlot as the next Congress president and installing Pilot as chief minister. The change was thought necessary to ensure the Congress was voted back to power in the state where assembly polls would be held in 2023.
However, Gehlot, who has his heart in Rajasthan, could not get a resolution passed by the MLAs authorizing incumbent president Sonia Gandhi to decide on the chief ministerial candidate. Over 90 MLAs loyal to Gehlot revolted against the AICC view to remove Gehlot as CM. They did so as the lawmakers were opposed to Pilot getting the top executive post and instead wanted one of their own to be the new CM.
That rebellion had angered Sonia Gandhi and cost Gehlot his candidature as the next Congress chief besides fueling speculation that his days as chief minister could be limited. The sword is still dangling over his head but the high command has deferred the issue for a while to avoid creating unnecessary controversies due to the presidential polls, said party sources.
The Congress is in the midst of a high-profile presidential contest between Sonia Gandhi-backed Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor which is being watched across the country. Voting will take place on Oct 17 and the results will be out on Oct 19. “It was better not to disturb the status quo in Rajasthan for now,” said a CWC member on condition of anonymity.
According to sources, the whole process would be replayed afresh after a few weeks. A new AICC observer would again be sent to Jaipur where the MLAs will pass a one-line resolution authorizing the new party president to decide who will be the Rajasthan chief minister.
Gehlot, who enjoys the support of the majority of MLAs has already suggested to the AICC in charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken to conduct a survey among the lawmakers to get feedback on leadership change in the state. Before Gehlot withdrew from the presidential race, three of his close aides Shanti Dhariwal, Mahesh Joshi, and Dharmendra Rathore were served show cause notices by the AICC for leading the MLAs' revolt on Sep 25.
Kharge, one of the contenders for the presidential polls, was the AICC observer deputed by Sonia Gandhi to oversee the change of guard in the state. If he is elected party president on Oct 19, Kharge would have to take a call on the matter again.
