Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot met over two dozen Congress lawmakers, including ministers, at his residence late on Tuesday and told them everything was fine and that they should have faith in Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The meeting came two days after a Congress legislature party (CLP) meet that was due to be held to virtually formalise the transfer of power from Gehlot to Sachin Pilot by passing a resolution authorising Gandhi to pick the next chief minister was scuttled.
Over 90 lawmakers, ostensibly 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. They later drove to the residence of speaker CP Joshi and handed in a joint resignation letter.
Dhariwal called the parallel meeting of the legislators to oppose Pilot’s possible elevation as the next chief minister should Gehlot be elected Congress chief in the October 17 internal poll.
A lawmaker, who was among those who met Gehlot on Tuesday, said their meeting was not a planned one. He added many of them wanted to meet him as they were in the city. “The MLAs [members of legislative assembly] reiterated their demand that he continue or choose the new chief minister from 102 MLAs [who remained loyal to him when Pilot revolved in 2020].”
{{/usCountry}}A lawmaker, who was among those who met Gehlot on Tuesday, said their meeting was not a planned one. He added many of them wanted to meet him as they were in the city. “The MLAs [members of legislative assembly] reiterated their demand that he continue or choose the new chief minister from 102 MLAs [who remained loyal to him when Pilot revolved in 2020].”
{{/usCountry}}A second lawmaker called the events since Sunday “unfortunate” and said they would have a negative impact on the workers when they were upbeat over the party’s win in the 2023 assembly polls.
“...factionalism was created; leaders are cornering each other in the public that too a year ahead of the elections. The leadership should see the numbers,” he said.
Pilot separately flew to New Delhi on Tuesday and is learnt to have met senior leaders. Both Gehlot and Pilot have remained tight-lipped and not spoken to the media about the ongoing turmoil.