A major crisis has erupted in Rajasthan Congress with nearly 90 Ashok Gehlot loyalist MLAs submitting their resignation to Assembly Speaker CP Joshi over the High Command’s reported decision to hand over the reins of the State Government to Sachin Pilot.
The Speaker is unlikely to accept their resignation and the move is seen as a pressure tactic to scuttle Pilot’s chances. The Congress is in search of a new Chief Minister in the State after Gehlot reluctantly agreed to step down from the post if he is elected the new Congress president.
The crisis could not have come at a worse time for the Congress. Despite tall claims by the Congress leaders that the Rahul Gandhi-led ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is all set to revive the party, the leadership looked as helpless as ever in dealing with dissidents. Clearly, the Congress leadership was caught off guard.
Few had expected that Gehlot would bowl such a googly on the leadership, but the wily leader seemed determined not to allow Pilot to take over the reins of the State.
Soon after it was ‘confirmed’ that the Congress High Command wanted to anoint Pilot as the CM, about 90 Gehlot loyalists threatened to resign as MLAs and rushed to Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi’s residence. The MLAs have thrown their weight behind Joshi and want him to replace Gehlot.
These MLAs pointed out that Pilot plotted to bring down Gehlot’s Government and one of the 102 MLAs who foiled his attempt, should be made the new Chief Minister.
Earlier, Pilot and nearly 18 MLAs supporting him turned up at Gehlot’s residence and waited for the CLP meeting. Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken were present there. But the MLAs loyalist to Gehlot held a parallel meeting at the residence of senior Minister Shanti Dhariwal. The CLP meeting could not take place and a “humiliated” Pilot went back licking his wounds.
Sources said that Sonia Gandhi conveyed to Gehlot and Central observers Maken and Kharge that she wanted them to consult each and every MLA through the night and persuade them to fall in line. The entire process was taking place at Gehlot’s residence where the MLAs kept returning from CP Joshi’s residence.
“We aren’t going to Delhi at the moment. We have been instructed by Congress president to conduct one-to-one talks with Rajasthan Congress MLAs. We’ll meet them tonight,” said Maken.
Despite publicly claiming that he would do whatever the party wanted, Gehlot did just the opposite. He mobilised his supporters and raised a virtual banner of revolt against the Gandhis, triggering an unprecedented implosion in the legislative party.