New Delhi: The Congress on Monday expressed satisfaction over ticket distribution in Rajasthan saying that a patch-up between the camps of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot will boost the grand old party’s electoral prospects. Polling for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will be held on November 25. Results will be out on Dec 3.
“All is well that ends well. Ticket distribution is always a challenging task, but I am satisfied with the candidates' selection in the state. It is a very good list. There is unity in the state unit and I am confident of the party’s win,” AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa told ETV Bharat.
Over the past weeks, the party’s Central Election Committee, headed by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as well as the Screening Committee, headed by Lok Sabha MP Gourav Gogoi, held hectic parleys to shortlist the candidates even as both Gehlot and Pilot pushed the names of their nominees.
The party's high command also had to consider the names suggested by Speaker CP Joshi, a state veteran, and factor in the information that came through various internal surveys, which showed anti-incumbency against at least 30 per cent of the MLAs. According to party insiders, while Gehlot was trying to get a re-nomination for most of his supporting MLAs, saying they had stayed with the Congress despite attempts by the BJP to topple his government in 2020, Pilot was pushing the case of his supporters saying they had worked hard for the party.
Initially, Pilot had objections to the names of three senior state leaders minister Shanti Dhariwal, Chief Whip in the Assembly Mahesh Joshi and state Tourism Corporation chairman Dharmendra Rathore, who had led a rebellion of party MLAs on Sep 25, 2022, when then party chief Sonia Gandhi had deployed senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to Jaipur as AICC observers to bring about a change of leadership in Rajasthan.
In turn, Gehlot had been pointing at the rebellion of lawmakers led by Pilot in 2020, which contributed to a decision-making challenge for the high command, said party insiders. However, the high command convinced both the state stalwarts that the stakes were high for the grand old party and only a united team could help the Congress retain power in Rajasthan against the BJP.
Finally, the high command asserted itself. Dhariwal was fielded from the Kota North seat, but Mahesh Joshi was denied a re-nomination and Dharmendra Rathore failed to get a ticket, said party insiders. The party insiders further stated that seven MLAs from the Pilot camp were given tickets but only around 18 sitting lawmakers were denied a renomination against the 30 recommended.
Interestingly, in some cases, senior state leaders like Parasram Moradia, Hemaram Chaudhry and Lal Chand Kataria voluntarily refused to contest the elections paving the way for new faces. Sitting MLA Zahida Khan was fielded again from Kaman's seat despite strong protests against her by a section of the state leaders. The Congress also left the Bharatpur seat for ally RLD.
However, former BJP MP Colonel Sonaram Chaudhry, who joined the Congress on November 5, surprised everyone by getting a nomination from the Barmer seat. “If one drops his ego, everything becomes easy. Gehlot and Pilot are now fighting the elections together. The Chief Minister is planning an extensive campaign and Pilot is leading one of the seven Congress guarantee yatras that we are launching from Jaipur on November 7,” said Randhawa.
