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Rajasthan assembly election: Senior Congress leaders pull out all stops to pacify rebels
A Rajasthan Congress leader said on condition anonymity that the senior leaders were getting in touch with the rebels and pacifying them. Around 15 of them have promised to withdraw their nominations on Thursday, he said.
With less than 24 hours left for the withdrawal of nominations for Rajasthan assembly elections, senior Congress leaders from the state and Delhi on Wednesday were working day and night to pacify rebels.
Leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mukul Wasnik, Avinash Pande, all four AICC secretaries, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and party state president Sachin Pilot were on the job. Around 90 dissidents, including four former ministers and six former MLAs, have filed nominations against party candidates.
A leader said on condition anonymity that the senior leaders were getting in touch with the rebels and pacifying them. Around 15 of them have promised to withdraw their nominations on Thursday, he said.
He said senior leaders such as Gehlot and Pilot have the list of rebels. “There are around 90 rebels of which 15 are prominent faces. Some of them were contacted over phone and others were called to meet in person. The whole exercise is to pacify and convince them. A few of them have been assured of place in the organisation or government when the party comes to power,” he said.
Addressing media persons at the state party office, AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said: “All rebels will withdraw nominations. I am hopeful that we will get minimum 160-170 seats.”
“Rebels are there in all parties. I am hopeful that they will be negligible by Thursday. They are committed workers and understand that it will damage the party. Many have withdrawn their nominations and others will do the same,” he added. Azad also expressed confidence on party forming government in all five states, especially in Rajasthan, with a huge mandate.
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