Digvijaya may join race for Congress president after rebellion in Rajasthan

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh emerged as a possible contender to become the next Congress president on Wednesday, people aware of developments said, as confusion reigned about next month’s internal poll in the wake of an unprecedented rebellion in Rajasthan.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh emerged as a possible contender to become the next Congress president on Wednesday, people aware of developments said, as confusion reigned about next month’s internal poll in the wake of an unprecedented rebellion in Rajasthan.

 Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. (PTI)

Only two days are left to go for the nomination process to close.

Singh, 75, was participating in the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala but is set to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday. The erstwhile favourite for the job, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who was set to file his nomination for the October 17 poll before the rebellion by 92 lawmakers loyal to him, is also expected to come to Delhi and meet Gandhi over the next two days, ostensibly to offer an explanation on what happened, and disassociate himself from the actions of his supporters. .

“I have not discussed [it] with anyone. I have also not asked for the high command’s permission. You should leave it to me whether I contest or not,” Singh said, when asked about his possible candidature.

But the people quoted above said the plan for Singh to file the nomination while managing the yatra, the party’s largest mass-contact programme in years, seems to be directly linked to the Rajasthan fiasco and Gehlot’s apparent reluctance to quit as chief minister.

It remains unclear if the Gandhis will back Singh if he files the nomination, but the people quoted above indicated that there may not be a change of guard in Rajasthan. Lawmakers close to Gehlot are opposed to the elevation of his rival Sachin Pilot to the state’s top job if the former gets elected as the party chief because of the younger leader’s rebellion against the CM in 2020.

Currently, only former Union minister Shashi Tharoor has said he will file the nomination papers on September 30. The party, according to insiders, wants to avoid the Thiruvananthapuram MP becoming the only contender in the exercise. “So Gehlot may stay there (in Rajasthan) and Digvijaya Singh will gain greater credence in the fight,’’ a leader said, requesting anonymity.

The Congress presidential election, alongside the Bharat Jodo Yatra, was aimed at infusing energy into the party’s moribund grassroots network and showcase internal democracy to blunt criticism of dynasty politics. To this effect, the Gandhis declared that they would not contest the election and that it would be a fair, impartial process. But with the Rajasthan rebellion and the protracted uncertainty, the process has descended into chaos, with open defiance of the leadership exposing the frailties of the party just months before crucial state polls.

The crisis began late on Sunday when central observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge landed in Jaipur to hold a Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting, which was to virtually formalise the transfer of power from Gehlot to Pilot in the state by passing a resolution authorising Gandhi to pick the next CM. But 92 lawmakers loyal to Gehlot, gathered at minister Shanti Dhariwal’s residence instead, and said they either wanted Gehlot to continue or have the chance to pick his successor in the state. Eventually, even as Congress leaders and Pilot waited at the chief minister’s residence, the CLP meeting was scuttled as the lawmakers drove to the residence of speaker CP Joshi and handed in a joint resignation letter.

A Congress panel on Tuesday blamed three legislators close to Gehlot for the defiance – which is seen as a direct affront to the authority of the party leadership –- but didn’t accuse Gehlot, leaving some wiggle room for reconciliation. Show-cause notices were sent to the three leaders, including Dhariwal.

A functionary close to Gehlot said that he would prefer to stay as CM. “He may meet Sonia Gandhi to clear the air but his choice for the state is amply clear,’’ said the person, requesting anonymity.

“Gehlot is going to Delhi but he not resigning today, he is not resigning ever,” said state minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, a Gehlot loyalist.

Gehlot is scheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi either Thursday morning or Friday, said people aware of developments. “We are not aware of any other developments. The CM will do whatever madam says,’’ said an aide of Gehlot, when asked whether he will stay in his post for the rest of the term – which ends next year.

According to a senior party leader, Gehlot has apparently apologised to Sonia Gandhi and her emissaries, including Kharge for the rebellion in Rajasthan. “Gehlot took the position that the situation was beyond his control. On Friday, he might tell the same thing in person,” said the second functionary.

According to a second leader, a few strategists also thought about the candidature of Kharge, the 80-year-old leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, but he has maintained that he may be too old. “He also told the high command that the mood of the people is with younger leaders. However, he is willing to be the last resort,” said the leader, requesting anonymity. As Kharge is already the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, he may not be eligible to become party chief under the one-person-one-post rule.

Former defence minister AK Antony, 81, met Gandhi on Wednesday, a day after senior leader Kamal Nath flew to the Capital. Antony heads the party’s disciplinary committee; Nath told reporters that he was not keen on becoming the Congress president and would prefer to focus on elections in Madhya Pradesh next year.

Rajasthan is one of only two states where the Congress is in power on its own, and goes to the polls in 14 months. In the 200-member assembly, the Congress has 108, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 71 and others eight, apart from 13 independents, who support the government. The Gehlot government has the backing of 126 lawmakers. Until the weekend, Gehlot was certain to file his nomination for the presidential poll. But the unexpected rebellion has cast a cloud over his candidature and the party’s national plans.