MLAs meet with Raj Guv put off after Sonia hails Mayawati cadre
In a huge relief for the Congress in Rajasthan, six BSP MLAs cancelled their proposed meeting with Governor Kalyan Singh at the last minute and downplayed speculation about pulling out of the Gehlot Government.
However, the Congress faced trouble from within amid speculation of a Rajasthan Minister quitting in the wake of the party’s electoral debacle. Two State Ministers came out in the open to demand a detailed assessment by senior leaders of the party.
Sources said the six BSP MLAs were scheduled to meet the Governor on Monday in the evening. However, later the Governor was informed that the meeting could not proceed due to illness of one of the MLAs, Deepchand.
The BSP has extended its support to the Congress in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, thus the news of its MLAs seeking appointment with the Governor sparked wild speculation.
BSP MLA Wajib Ali sought to downplay the significance of the MLAs’ scheduled meeting with the Governor. “It was supposed to be a routine meeting,” he said.
Sources, however, said the BSP MLAs changed their minds on the instructions from the party’s Central leadership following the circulation of appreciation letter by UPA chairperson and senior most Congress leader Sonia Gandhi hailing the role of BSP workers along with the SP cadre in the just concluded general elections.
Meanwhile, a review meeting scheduled in Delhi to evaluate reasons for party’s drubbing in Rajasthan was postponed in the wake of unavailability of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Party sources said the meeting would be held on Tuesday at Sonia’s residence in the presence of Ashok Gehlot, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and Congress State incharge Avinash Pandey. Senior party leader Ahmed Patel and Venugopal are likely to participate in the meet.
Gehlot came in the line of fire in the CWC meeting when Rahul accused him and other senior leaders of imposing their sons and daughters on the party. Gehlot spent several days campaigning extensively for his son Vaibhav in Jodhpur and neglected the rest of the State. Gehlot reportedly took part in over 130 rallies and roadshows, 93 of them in Jodhpur alone. His son, however, lost to the BJP.
Rajasthan Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariya said the CWC has given Rahul full authority to fix the accountability and he will exercise that power. Echoing Khachariya’s views, his Cabinet colleague Bhanwarlal Meghwal demanded that accountability be immediately fixed for the defeat.
Cooperative Minister Udai Lal Anjana, and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ramesh Meena have said the party should review the reasons for the defeat so that the party bounces back and performs well in upcoming local body elections in the State.
There were also reports that Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria resigned after party’s poor showing in the polls. KC Vishnoi, DCC president Hanumagarh, lashed out at Gehlot for the poll debacle.
“The organisation worked really hard and brought the party to power. But within three months, the people got upset with the Government, the Chief Minister should take responsibility. He should have offered to resign,” he said.