New Delhi: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot is all set to contest the Congress presidential poll.
However, speculation still remains rife over his decision to quit as the CM in case he becomes the president of the party. Congress has a ‘one-man one-post’ policy.
Gehlot, on his part, has only added to the uncertainty.
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Gehlot said, “Next Rajasthan elections should be fought under the leadership of someone who can make the Congress win, be it me or someone else.
Among the frontrunners to replace Gehlot is his former deputy Sachin Pilot with whom the CM’s spat has been on public display for quite some time.
ये तो मीडिया ने उड़ा दिया शुरू से ही कि अशोक गहलोत राजस्थान का मुख्यमंत्री पद छोड़ना नहीं चाहते हैं, जबकि ये बात कभी मेरे दिमाग में नहीं रही, मैं तो 9 अगस्त को ही कह चुका हूँ हाईकमान को कि अगला राजस्थान का चुनाव जीतना बहुत आवश्यक है कांग्रेस को। pic.twitter.com/e7MFyBJrLf
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) September 25, 2022
Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads for the chief minister’s post soon after the Congress won the Assembly elections in December 2018. The high command then chose Gehlot as the chief minister for the third time while Pilot was made his deputy.
In July 2020, Pilot along with 18 party MLAs rebelled against Gehlot’s leadership.
Meanwhile, MLAs considered close to Gehlot met under the leadership of Cabinet minister Shanti Dhariwal in what is seen as a message to the high command to pick a Gehlot loyalist as his successor.
Some participants said Gehlot’s successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in toppling it, a veiled reference to Pilot.
With inputs from agencies
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