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Congress high command to decide on state Cabinet reshuffle: Ashok Gehlot
The remark came a day after Ashok Gehlot met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ajay Maken, who is the party’s Rajasthan in-charge, and KC Venugopal. Gehlot on Thursday met party chief Sonia Gandhi
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said he has left the decision on the much awaited Cabinet reshuffle in the state to the Congress’ central leadership, which will decide when will it happen.
The statement came a day after Gehlot met Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ajay Maken, who is also the party’s Rajasthan in-charge, and KC Venugopal. Gehlot on Thursday met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
“The high command will decide when the Cabinet expansion will happen. I have briefed (the high command). Ajay Maken... keeps coming to Rajasthan. He had all the information.”
He added that Maken will speak to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and others about the decision.
“We are providing good governance in Rajasthan and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has been being wiped out… it came third and the fourth in the by-polls to two seats,” Gehlot said.
The Cabinet reshuffle has been awaited since Gehlot’s former deputy, Sachin Pilot, revoted against him last year. Congress functionaries aware of the matter said Pilot’s associates are likely to get at least four ministerial berths and those close to Gehlot five. There are nine vacancies in the council of ministers.
Gehlot said the situation in the country is serious and that democracy and the Constitution are in danger as the judiciary and central agencies are being misused by the Union government.
He asked the Centre to further reduce the excise duty on petrol and diesel.
The Union government reduced the excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹5 and ₹10 a litre on Diwali-eve.
Folliwng this, many states ruled by the BJP and a few others followed suit. Rajasthan is among the states that hasn’t done so. Gehlot has pointed out that the state levy is anyway an ad valorem one, and that the reduction by the Central government also means a reduction to some quantum in state levies.
On Thursday, he said that the share of states in duties on fuel have reduced (many of the central levies are cesses, which are not shared with the states) over the years and said he wants a “further reduction in excise duty on fuel prices. This will automatically reduce VAT.”
