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Tag: Rajasthan Congress

  • Congress projects unity in Rajasthan, says Gehlot, Pilot will fight assembly poll together

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Amid a festering leadership tussle in the Congress’ Rajasthan unit, the party Monday said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot have agreed to fight the upcoming assembly elections unitedly and have left all issues to be resolved by the party high command.

    Top Congress leadership led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held marathon discussions with Gehlot and Pilot joined them later in the evening.

    The Congress’ in-charge of state affairs Sukhjinder Randhawa was also present at the meeting.

    The party sought to project that all was fine in its Rajasthan unit with sources claiming that the party has worked out a formula for both the state leaders to work together and fight the assembly elections unitedly.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting at Kharge’s 10, Rajaji Marg, residence, party general secretary K C Venugopal said both the leaders held lengthy discussions with Kharge and Gandhi about the upcoming Rajasthan election.

    “We have decided to fight the election unitedly. Both are in agreement that the Congress party has to work together and definitely we will win the election in Rajasthan,” he said, flanked by Gehlot and Pilot.

    “It is very clear that Rajasthan is going to be a strong state for the Congress party. We are going to win. Therefore, both Gehlot ji and Sachin ji have decided to go together. The Congress party will fight elections unitedly,” Venugopal said.

    “Both the leaders Ashok ji and Sachin ji agreed to the proposal on these things,” he also said.

    Asked what proposal he was talking out, Venugopal said, “Both have left it to the (party) high command. The high command will take the decision and both have agreed.”

    On what formula has been decided, he said, “We decided that both the leaders have agreed to go together and it will be a joint fight against the BJP. We will win the state.”

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh later tweeted, “The Congress party is well on its way to repeating its Karnataka success in Rajasthan as well.”

    Later in a tweet, Venugopal said, “Our team in Rajasthan will unitedly fight the 2023 elections and break the decades-long tradition of alternating governments by registering a thumping victory!”

    Pilot has been attacking the Gehlot government over the issue of inaction on alleged corruption during the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje and has been vocal against his own party’s chief minister. This was the first time after a long gap that the Rajasthan chief minister and his former deputy met face-to-face in the presence of top party leadership.

    Kharge and Gandhi are holding parleys with leaders of poll-bound states to evolve the party’s strategy for the assembly elections and corner the BJP.

    The party leadership is also working hard to resolve the infighting in the Rajasthan unit ahead of assembly polls and set at rest the differences between the two leaders.

    The Congress top brass held discussions with top party leaders from Madhya Pradesh in the morning, after which Gandhi said the party would win 150 seats in the state.

    The meeting comes close on the heels of Pilot’s “ultimatum” that if three demands he made from the state government were not met by the end of this month, he would launch a state-wide agitation.

    One of Pilot’s demands was initiating a high-level inquiry into the alleged scams during the Vasundhara Raje government.

    Speaking to reporters earlier, Gehlot said there is no such tradition in the party to offer posts to any leader in order to pacify him.

    “As far as I know, there is no such tradition in the Congress where any leader demands something and the party high command offers to give that position. We have not heard of such a formula ever,” he said when asked about reports of a formula being worked out to rope in Pilot.

    Rubbishing such reports, he said, “Never has such a thing happened in the Congress so far and neither will it happen in the future. The Congress party and the high command are very strong and no leader or worker has the courage to demand any position. It does not happen like that.”

    Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018.

    In 2020, Pilot led a failed revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party’s state unit president and deputy chief minister.

    Pilot had last month defied a warning from the party and went ahead with a day-long fast targeting Gehlot over his “inaction” on alleged corruption during the previous Raje government.

    NEW DELHI: Amid a festering leadership tussle in the Congress’ Rajasthan unit, the party Monday said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot have agreed to fight the upcoming assembly elections unitedly and have left all issues to be resolved by the party high command.

    Top Congress leadership led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held marathon discussions with Gehlot and Pilot joined them later in the evening.

    The Congress’ in-charge of state affairs Sukhjinder Randhawa was also present at the meeting.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The party sought to project that all was fine in its Rajasthan unit with sources claiming that the party has worked out a formula for both the state leaders to work together and fight the assembly elections unitedly.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting at Kharge’s 10, Rajaji Marg, residence, party general secretary K C Venugopal said both the leaders held lengthy discussions with Kharge and Gandhi about the upcoming Rajasthan election.

    “We have decided to fight the election unitedly. Both are in agreement that the Congress party has to work together and definitely we will win the election in Rajasthan,” he said, flanked by Gehlot and Pilot.

    “It is very clear that Rajasthan is going to be a strong state for the Congress party. We are going to win. Therefore, both Gehlot ji and Sachin ji have decided to go together. The Congress party will fight elections unitedly,” Venugopal said.

    “Both the leaders Ashok ji and Sachin ji agreed to the proposal on these things,” he also said.

    Asked what proposal he was talking out, Venugopal said, “Both have left it to the (party) high command. The high command will take the decision and both have agreed.”

    On what formula has been decided, he said, “We decided that both the leaders have agreed to go together and it will be a joint fight against the BJP. We will win the state.”

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh later tweeted, “The Congress party is well on its way to repeating its Karnataka success in Rajasthan as well.”

    Later in a tweet, Venugopal said, “Our team in Rajasthan will unitedly fight the 2023 elections and break the decades-long tradition of alternating governments by registering a thumping victory!”

    Pilot has been attacking the Gehlot government over the issue of inaction on alleged corruption during the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje and has been vocal against his own party’s chief minister. This was the first time after a long gap that the Rajasthan chief minister and his former deputy met face-to-face in the presence of top party leadership.

    Kharge and Gandhi are holding parleys with leaders of poll-bound states to evolve the party’s strategy for the assembly elections and corner the BJP.

    The party leadership is also working hard to resolve the infighting in the Rajasthan unit ahead of assembly polls and set at rest the differences between the two leaders.

    The Congress top brass held discussions with top party leaders from Madhya Pradesh in the morning, after which Gandhi said the party would win 150 seats in the state.

    The meeting comes close on the heels of Pilot’s “ultimatum” that if three demands he made from the state government were not met by the end of this month, he would launch a state-wide agitation.

    One of Pilot’s demands was initiating a high-level inquiry into the alleged scams during the Vasundhara Raje government.

    Speaking to reporters earlier, Gehlot said there is no such tradition in the party to offer posts to any leader in order to pacify him.

    “As far as I know, there is no such tradition in the Congress where any leader demands something and the party high command offers to give that position. We have not heard of such a formula ever,” he said when asked about reports of a formula being worked out to rope in Pilot.

    Rubbishing such reports, he said, “Never has such a thing happened in the Congress so far and neither will it happen in the future. The Congress party and the high command are very strong and no leader or worker has the courage to demand any position. It does not happen like that.”

    Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018.

    In 2020, Pilot led a failed revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party’s state unit president and deputy chief minister.

    Pilot had last month defied a warning from the party and went ahead with a day-long fast targeting Gehlot over his “inaction” on alleged corruption during the previous Raje government.

  • Gehlot, Pilot supporters come to blows, poster war erupts

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:   The Congress infighting in Rajasthan has taken an ugly turn as supporters of CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot thrashed each other on Thursday at a party gathering in Ajmer. The clash occurred before Amrita Dhawan, the national secretary of Congress and co-in-charge of Rajasthan was to hold a programme in the city to gather feedback from the party workers.

    Sources said Vijay Jain, the city Congress chief and a member of the Pilot faction, made all the arrangements for Dhawan’s programme. The situation worsened when Dharmendra Rathore, the RTDC president closely associated with Gehlot, arrived with his supporters, leading to a scuffle between the two groups.

    As the two groups scuffled, Amrita Dhawan decided to postpone the party programme. Even before the meeting here in Ajmer, a dispute arose between pro-Pilot workers and the Gehlot faction. The rival sides created a ruckus in front of the MLAs, with several party workers involved in abusive scuffles and fisticuffs forcing the police to intervene.

    Bhim Singh, a village Congress worker, was reportedly beaten up. Though some workers tried to pacify the rival factions, tempers remained high and sloganeering continued unabated. In addition to the altercation, both factions of the state Congress have been engaging in an endless war of words. Sanyam Lodha, an independent MLA and advisor to the Chief Minister, targeted Sachin Pilot’s Jan Sangharsh Yatra. Criticising him for raising the issues of paper leaks and corruption during the BJP rule in an election year, Lodha accused Pilot of seeking martyrdom and claimed that “his movement would have no political impact.”

    Lodha said Pilot and his team never supported him when he raised the same issues regarding BJP’s alleged scams during the past five years. Lodha dismissed the people associated with Pilot as “sponsored groups” and stated that “nobody takes him seriously any longer.”

    Meanwhile, a poster in Jodhpur, CM Gehlot’s home district, featuring Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Sachin Pilot has sparked a furore. These posters suggest a nexus between Pilot and Shekhawat. “The public demands an answer from Pilot regarding the Sanjeevani scam” is the direct message depicted in the poster. Congress’ district spokesperson Bhakar Ram Vishnoi, who put up the posters, criticised Pilot for remaining silent on the scam involving crores of rupees of public funds.

    The rift between Gehlot and Pilot groups is deepening with each passing day as elections in Rajasthan are now barely six months away. Pilot is in no mood to relent and has warned the Gehlot government that it must act by May 30.  He has announced publicly that if his demands are not accepted, he will launch a bigger movement in the state especially since his supporters are also seething in anger.

    JAIPUR:   The Congress infighting in Rajasthan has taken an ugly turn as supporters of CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot thrashed each other on Thursday at a party gathering in Ajmer. The clash occurred before Amrita Dhawan, the national secretary of Congress and co-in-charge of Rajasthan was to hold a programme in the city to gather feedback from the party workers.

    Sources said Vijay Jain, the city Congress chief and a member of the Pilot faction, made all the arrangements for Dhawan’s programme. The situation worsened when Dharmendra Rathore, the RTDC president closely associated with Gehlot, arrived with his supporters, leading to a scuffle between the two groups.

    As the two groups scuffled, Amrita Dhawan decided to postpone the party programme. Even before the meeting here in Ajmer, a dispute arose between pro-Pilot workers and the Gehlot faction. The rival sides created a ruckus in front of the MLAs, with several party workers involved in abusive scuffles and fisticuffs forcing the police to intervene.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Bhim Singh, a village Congress worker, was reportedly beaten up. Though some workers tried to pacify the rival factions, tempers remained high and sloganeering continued unabated. In addition to the altercation, both factions of the state Congress have been engaging in an endless war of words. Sanyam Lodha, an independent MLA and advisor to the Chief Minister, targeted Sachin Pilot’s Jan Sangharsh Yatra. Criticising him for raising the issues of paper leaks and corruption during the BJP rule in an election year, Lodha accused Pilot of seeking martyrdom and claimed that “his movement would have no political impact.”

    Lodha said Pilot and his team never supported him when he raised the same issues regarding BJP’s alleged scams during the past five years. Lodha dismissed the people associated with Pilot as “sponsored groups” and stated that “nobody takes him seriously any longer.”

    Meanwhile, a poster in Jodhpur, CM Gehlot’s home district, featuring Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Sachin Pilot has sparked a furore. These posters suggest a nexus between Pilot and Shekhawat. “The public demands an answer from Pilot regarding the Sanjeevani scam” is the direct message depicted in the poster. Congress’ district spokesperson Bhakar Ram Vishnoi, who put up the posters, criticised Pilot for remaining silent on the scam involving crores of rupees of public funds.

    The rift between Gehlot and Pilot groups is deepening with each passing day as elections in Rajasthan are now barely six months away. Pilot is in no mood to relent and has warned the Gehlot government that it must act by May 30.  He has announced publicly that if his demands are not accepted, he will launch a bigger movement in the state especially since his supporters are also seething in anger.

  • ‘We are all united’: Rajasthan Congress chief on Gehlot-Pilot issue

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara on Friday downplayed the ongoing tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, saying “We are all united”.

    He also said if a leader is not found popular in his constituency in the party’s pre-poll survey, he should not get a ticket even if it is him.

    “I am a man of the organisation and will take all people of the organisation along. Today, I can say that we are all united and are strengthening the Congress,” he told reporters here.

    “Pilot has already said that he has conveyed his point to the high command and at the same time, the AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has also conveyed his point to the high command,” the PCC chief said.

    “Then a third person should not comment on this.”

    On the chances of a Cabinet reshuffle before elections, he said, “This is the prerogative of the chief minister, but there are always possibilities.”

    On the allotment of tickets in elections, he said the party would give chances to those who are popular among the public. “Those who go among them and serve them will get the ticket.”

    ALSO READ | AAP, RLP keep door open for Sachin Pilot

    The state assembly elections are due later this year.

    Last week, Pilot opened a front against chief minister Gehlot.

    Pilot said the Congress raised the issue of corruption when the party was in opposition during the BJP rule — from 2013 to 2018 — and promised in the 2018 assembly polls that action would be taken in the matter if the party forms the government in Rajasthan. However, no action was taken in over four years of the Congress government, he added.

    On this issue, he held a day-long dharna at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur last week.

    AICC in charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa called it an act against the party discipline. He also said that Pilot, who is an MLA, should have raised his demand for action in corruption cases in the Rajasthan Assembly, instead of holding the fast.

    With just a few months left for the assembly elections, the party held a one-on-one dialogue with MLAs and those who are supporting it and held a one-day workshop this week. Pilot skipped these programmes.

    However, on Thursday he went to a dharna here led by BJP’s Rajya Sabah MP Kirodi Lal Meena with the family members of a man who committed suicide, blaming Cabinet minister Mahesh Joshi and others for the extreme step. He demanded a fair investigation in the case.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara on Friday downplayed the ongoing tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, saying “We are all united”.

    He also said if a leader is not found popular in his constituency in the party’s pre-poll survey, he should not get a ticket even if it is him.

    “I am a man of the organisation and will take all people of the organisation along. Today, I can say that we are all united and are strengthening the Congress,” he told reporters here.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Pilot has already said that he has conveyed his point to the high command and at the same time, the AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has also conveyed his point to the high command,” the PCC chief said.

    “Then a third person should not comment on this.”

    On the chances of a Cabinet reshuffle before elections, he said, “This is the prerogative of the chief minister, but there are always possibilities.”

    On the allotment of tickets in elections, he said the party would give chances to those who are popular among the public. “Those who go among them and serve them will get the ticket.”

    ALSO READ | AAP, RLP keep door open for Sachin Pilot

    The state assembly elections are due later this year.

    Last week, Pilot opened a front against chief minister Gehlot.

    Pilot said the Congress raised the issue of corruption when the party was in opposition during the BJP rule — from 2013 to 2018 — and promised in the 2018 assembly polls that action would be taken in the matter if the party forms the government in Rajasthan. However, no action was taken in over four years of the Congress government, he added.

    On this issue, he held a day-long dharna at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur last week.

    AICC in charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa called it an act against the party discipline. He also said that Pilot, who is an MLA, should have raised his demand for action in corruption cases in the Rajasthan Assembly, instead of holding the fast.

    With just a few months left for the assembly elections, the party held a one-on-one dialogue with MLAs and those who are supporting it and held a one-day workshop this week. Pilot skipped these programmes.

    However, on Thursday he went to a dharna here led by BJP’s Rajya Sabah MP Kirodi Lal Meena with the family members of a man who committed suicide, blaming Cabinet minister Mahesh Joshi and others for the extreme step. He demanded a fair investigation in the case.

  • Both leaders assets to Congress, says Rahul Gandhi on Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot

    By PTI

    INDORE: Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday said both the leaders are assets to the party.

    Addressing a press conference near Indore, Gandhi, the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala, also said the decision to contest again from Amethi would be taken after one or one-and-a-half years.

    “At present, my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.

    Union minister Smriti Irani had defeated Rahul Gandhi in his family’s bastion Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    To a query on different statements being given by Rajasthan leaders Gehlot and Pilot amid their power tussle, he said, “It will not affect the yatra and both the leaders are assets to the Congress party.”

    Gehlot on Thursday told NDTV that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) who cannot replace him as he had revolted against Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the state government, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Some reporters also asked Gandhi whether he would like to contest again from Amethi if given an opportunity, as the road to power in Delhi goes via Uttar Pradesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also contested from Varanasi in UP.

    To this, Gandhi said, “I don’t want to give any headline to the media as at present my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. See, once again these are all attempts to distract from the main idea. You want newspapers to say tomorrow whether I will contest from Amethi or not,” Gandhi said.

    “I want the newspapers to write about the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the ideas and philosophy behind the yatra,” he said.

    “The answer to your question will come may be in a year or year-and-a-half,” he said.

    To a query on plans for solving the unemployment problem in the country, Gandhi said the main problem at present is that the entire wealth of the nation is confined in the hands of three-four industrialists.

    The Congress will focus on creating small scale enterprises to generate more employment opportunities in the country, he said.

    “I want the government to participate in education and health care and pump in more money in these sectors,” Gandhi said.

    The government should sense the voice of the people, he added.

    ALSO READ | Fighting Narendra Modi and RSS, but don’t harbor hate for them in my heart: Rahul Gandhi

    Gandhi also said his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative, was raising the voice of the nation.

    He claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were not hearing the voice of the public and running the country by their “rigid structure”.

    The country should be run by the people’s sentiments, he said.

    On attacks over his attire and looks during the yatra, Gandhi said, “The problem with the BJP is that its spends thousands of crore to tarnish my image. But, the amount of money it would spend on tarnishing my image, I would get the same amount of strength as truth cannot be hidden. Personal attacks come as you fight against a big power. This shows that I am on the right path. The BJP’s personal attacks on me are my guru, which have taught me the right path,” he said.

    “I am gradually understanding the ideology of the BJP and the RSS,” he said.

    On the issue of Uniform Civil Code, he said, “Our direction is clear and their (BJP) direction is clear, and we are doing our work.”

    Gandhi also said he had made a detailed planning of the yatra earlier.

    But it did not materialise due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, he added.

    INDORE: Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday said both the leaders are assets to the party.

    Addressing a press conference near Indore, Gandhi, the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala, also said the decision to contest again from Amethi would be taken after one or one-and-a-half years.

    “At present, my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.

    Union minister Smriti Irani had defeated Rahul Gandhi in his family’s bastion Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    To a query on different statements being given by Rajasthan leaders Gehlot and Pilot amid their power tussle, he said, “It will not affect the yatra and both the leaders are assets to the Congress party.”

    Gehlot on Thursday told NDTV that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) who cannot replace him as he had revolted against Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the state government, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Some reporters also asked Gandhi whether he would like to contest again from Amethi if given an opportunity, as the road to power in Delhi goes via Uttar Pradesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also contested from Varanasi in UP.

    To this, Gandhi said, “I don’t want to give any headline to the media as at present my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. See, once again these are all attempts to distract from the main idea. You want newspapers to say tomorrow whether I will contest from Amethi or not,” Gandhi said.

    “I want the newspapers to write about the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the ideas and philosophy behind the yatra,” he said.

    “The answer to your question will come may be in a year or year-and-a-half,” he said.

    To a query on plans for solving the unemployment problem in the country, Gandhi said the main problem at present is that the entire wealth of the nation is confined in the hands of three-four industrialists.

    The Congress will focus on creating small scale enterprises to generate more employment opportunities in the country, he said.

    “I want the government to participate in education and health care and pump in more money in these sectors,” Gandhi said.

    The government should sense the voice of the people, he added.

    ALSO READ | Fighting Narendra Modi and RSS, but don’t harbor hate for them in my heart: Rahul Gandhi

    Gandhi also said his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative, was raising the voice of the nation.

    He claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were not hearing the voice of the public and running the country by their “rigid structure”.

    The country should be run by the people’s sentiments, he said.

    On attacks over his attire and looks during the yatra, Gandhi said, “The problem with the BJP is that its spends thousands of crore to tarnish my image. But, the amount of money it would spend on tarnishing my image, I would get the same amount of strength as truth cannot be hidden. Personal attacks come as you fight against a big power. This shows that I am on the right path. The BJP’s personal attacks on me are my guru, which have taught me the right path,” he said.

    “I am gradually understanding the ideology of the BJP and the RSS,” he said.

    On the issue of Uniform Civil Code, he said, “Our direction is clear and their (BJP) direction is clear, and we are doing our work.”

    Gandhi also said he had made a detailed planning of the yatra earlier.

    But it did not materialise due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, he added.

  • Gehlot calling Pilot traitor `unexpected’, crisis will be resolved by leadership: Congress

    By PTI

    SANAVAD: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot using the term “Gaddar” (traitor) for party colleague Sachin Pilot was “unexpected.”

    The party needs both the warring leaders and the crisis in the Rajasthan unit will be resolved keeping in mind the interests of the organization and not individuals, he added.

    Ramesh, the Congress’s media head, was speaking during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra here.

    Gehlot, in an interview with NDTV on Thursday, said Pilot was a “Gaddar” and cannot replace him as Rajasthan CM, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Gehlot also alleged that Pilot had rebelled against the Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the party’s government in Rajasthan.

    “Gehlot is a senior and experienced leader of the Congress. But the term used by him in an interview (for Pilot) is unexpected and even I am surprised,” Ramesh said.

    “The party needs both Gehlot and Pilot. There are some differences but we are not running away from this. The leadership will find an appropriate solution to the Rajasthan issue, but it will be done keeping in mind the party organization and not the individuals,” he further said.

    Ramesh also described Pilot as a “youthful, energetic, popular and charismatic leader.”

    In a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, “Congress leaders can speak from their heart without any fear because the party leadership does not take any decision like a dictator, and this is the difference between the Congress and BJP.”

    The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot has flared up at a time when the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is poised to enter Rajasthan in a few days.COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    SANAVAD: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot using the term “Gaddar” (traitor) for party colleague Sachin Pilot was “unexpected.”

    The party needs both the warring leaders and the crisis in the Rajasthan unit will be resolved keeping in mind the interests of the organization and not individuals, he added.

    Ramesh, the Congress’s media head, was speaking during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra here.

    Gehlot, in an interview with NDTV on Thursday, said Pilot was a “Gaddar” and cannot replace him as Rajasthan CM, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Gehlot also alleged that Pilot had rebelled against the Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the party’s government in Rajasthan.

    “Gehlot is a senior and experienced leader of the Congress. But the term used by him in an interview (for Pilot) is unexpected and even I am surprised,” Ramesh said.

    “The party needs both Gehlot and Pilot. There are some differences but we are not running away from this. The leadership will find an appropriate solution to the Rajasthan issue, but it will be done keeping in mind the party organization and not the individuals,” he further said.

    Ramesh also described Pilot as a “youthful, energetic, popular and charismatic leader.”

    In a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, “Congress leaders can speak from their heart without any fear because the party leadership does not take any decision like a dictator, and this is the difference between the Congress and BJP.”

    The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot has flared up at a time when the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is poised to enter Rajasthan in a few days.COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

  • Gurjar community’s complaints will be heard; Yatra will a success: Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that he will try to address Gurjar community’s complaints, after its leader Vijay Singh Bainsla threatened to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state.

    Bainsla has been pressing the state government to resolve issues it has raised regarding OBC reservation, and has also demanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to make Sachin Pilot Rajasthan CM.

    Bainsla has said that the community had given its votes to Congress for a Gurjar CM in the state.

    Reacting to his demands, Gehlot said, “This is democracy and every one has the right to speak. We are ruling on the basis of the Constitution and the right to speak cannot be taken away. If there is any demand or suggestion, we will hear that and will try to address the complaints.”

    After a meeting of the party leaders to review the preparations of the yatra, the chief minister told reporters that the yatra will be held successfully in the state.

    “The atmosphere in the state is good, there is enthusiasm in the party workers. The objective of the yatra is to restore harmony and flag issues such as inflation and unemployment,” he said.

    Gehlot said that efforts were made to tarnish the image of Rahul Gandhi on social media in the past but now, through the yatra, a new image of him has emerged.

    Gehlot also attacked the BJP, calling them “fascists.” He said people running the central government do not like criticism and treat anyone who criticises them as “anti-national.”

    “They speak with shamelessness — do not take the name of former prime ministers. This is a fascist thought,” he said, as he spoke about the contributions of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in the making of the country.

    ALSO READ | Pilot distances himself from Gurjar leader’s demand, says Congress yatra will be successful

    On the issue of anomalies in OBC reservation raised by former minister Harish Chaudhary, Gehlot said that the issue will be discussed in the cabinet and will be resolved.

    He also said that it was a technical matter and those raising it should not make it an issue related to caste.

    Chaudhary, a Congress MLA from Baitu in Barmer, has agitated several times under the banner of OBC Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti to remove the discrepancies in OBC reservation.

    Gehlot said that the anomaly was created by the former BJP government, but it will be taken care of.

    Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Singh Dotasra said the party had detailed discussions on the yatra in its state coordination committee.

    He said that a committee has been formed with 15 coordinators to look after the arrangements of the yatra.

    These coordinators also attended the meeting.

    Senior Congress leader and state in-charge Ajay Maken skipped the meeting.

    COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    Maken had recently written to party president Mallikarjun Kharge expressing his unwillingness to continue as the party in-charge, citing the September 25 incident, when a separate meeting of MLAs was held at the residence of parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal, due to which the Congress Legislature Party meeting could not take place.

    Party sources said that Maken is unhappy that no action has been taken against Dhariwal, chief whip Mahesh Joshi, and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) chairman Dharmendra Rathore, despite notices served on them.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that he will try to address Gurjar community’s complaints, after its leader Vijay Singh Bainsla threatened to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state.

    Bainsla has been pressing the state government to resolve issues it has raised regarding OBC reservation, and has also demanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to make Sachin Pilot Rajasthan CM.

    Bainsla has said that the community had given its votes to Congress for a Gurjar CM in the state.

    Reacting to his demands, Gehlot said, “This is democracy and every one has the right to speak. We are ruling on the basis of the Constitution and the right to speak cannot be taken away. If there is any demand or suggestion, we will hear that and will try to address the complaints.”

    After a meeting of the party leaders to review the preparations of the yatra, the chief minister told reporters that the yatra will be held successfully in the state.

    “The atmosphere in the state is good, there is enthusiasm in the party workers. The objective of the yatra is to restore harmony and flag issues such as inflation and unemployment,” he said.

    Gehlot said that efforts were made to tarnish the image of Rahul Gandhi on social media in the past but now, through the yatra, a new image of him has emerged.

    Gehlot also attacked the BJP, calling them “fascists.” He said people running the central government do not like criticism and treat anyone who criticises them as “anti-national.”

    “They speak with shamelessness — do not take the name of former prime ministers. This is a fascist thought,” he said, as he spoke about the contributions of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in the making of the country.

    ALSO READ | Pilot distances himself from Gurjar leader’s demand, says Congress yatra will be successful

    On the issue of anomalies in OBC reservation raised by former minister Harish Chaudhary, Gehlot said that the issue will be discussed in the cabinet and will be resolved.

    He also said that it was a technical matter and those raising it should not make it an issue related to caste.

    Chaudhary, a Congress MLA from Baitu in Barmer, has agitated several times under the banner of OBC Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti to remove the discrepancies in OBC reservation.

    Gehlot said that the anomaly was created by the former BJP government, but it will be taken care of.

    Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Singh Dotasra said the party had detailed discussions on the yatra in its state coordination committee.

    He said that a committee has been formed with 15 coordinators to look after the arrangements of the yatra.

    These coordinators also attended the meeting.

    Senior Congress leader and state in-charge Ajay Maken skipped the meeting.

    COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    Maken had recently written to party president Mallikarjun Kharge expressing his unwillingness to continue as the party in-charge, citing the September 25 incident, when a separate meeting of MLAs was held at the residence of parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal, due to which the Congress Legislature Party meeting could not take place.

    Party sources said that Maken is unhappy that no action has been taken against Dhariwal, chief whip Mahesh Joshi, and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) chairman Dharmendra Rathore, despite notices served on them.

  • Twist in the Congress tale: Pro-Gehlot MLAs revolt against Pilot becoming Rajasthan CM

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: In a late Sunday evening political development in Rajasthan, the kind only Congress men can pull off, nearly 100 pro-Ashok Gehlot legislators sprang a surprise by quitting en masse in a protest, widely seen as, against the proposal to elevate Sachin Pilot as the Chief Minister of the state.

    The revolting legislators met Assembly speaker C P Joshi at his residence and submitted their resignation.

    The twist to the Congress’ political drama came amid suspense over who will succeed Gehlot as the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan. A meeting of the Rajasthan Congress Legislature Party was called for around 9 pm at the CM’s house with party veterans Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken as observers on behalf of the Congress high command. But instead of heading for the meeting, the legislators went straight to the Speaker’s residence to convey that they are quitting. Amid the revolt, Congress’s high command sent a message to the observers to hear the views of all the legislators.

    The dissent from Gehlot supporters broke out amid speculation that Sachin Pilot would be Gehlot’s successor as the latter is poised to contest for the party president’s post.

    ALSO READ | Crucial Congress MLAs meet in Jaipur amid suspense over who will be next CM of Rajasthan

    As pro-Gehlot legislators scurried to quit, their mood was reflected in the statement of Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, who commented that the new chief minister should be a representative of the nearly 100 MLAs who stayed in hotels for 38 days to save the Congress government two years ago. Alluding to Pilot, he said, those who tried to topple the Congress cannot be accepted as the chief minister. In July 2020, Pilot along with 18 party MLAs had rebelled against Gehlot.

    Earlier, Gehlot had tweeted – “It has been made up by the media from the very beginning that Ashok Gehlot does not want to leave the post of Chief Minister of Rajasthan, while this thing has never been in my mind.  I have already told the high command on August 9 that it is very important to win the next Rajasthan elections.”

    Another tweet by Gehlot read, “In this country the media becomes the king maker, unfortunately they do not know the ground reality.  The media of Delhi does not know anything and they run such campaigns that they become king makers.”

    JAIPUR: In a late Sunday evening political development in Rajasthan, the kind only Congress men can pull off, nearly 100 pro-Ashok Gehlot legislators sprang a surprise by quitting en masse in a protest, widely seen as, against the proposal to elevate Sachin Pilot as the Chief Minister of the state.

    The revolting legislators met Assembly speaker C P Joshi at his residence and submitted their resignation.

    The twist to the Congress’ political drama came amid suspense over who will succeed Gehlot as the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan. A meeting of the Rajasthan Congress Legislature Party was called for around 9 pm at the CM’s house with party veterans Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken as observers on behalf of the Congress high command. But instead of heading for the meeting, the legislators went straight to the Speaker’s residence to convey that they are quitting. Amid the revolt, Congress’s high command sent a message to the observers to hear the views of all the legislators.

    The dissent from Gehlot supporters broke out amid speculation that Sachin Pilot would be Gehlot’s successor as the latter is poised to contest for the party president’s post.

    ALSO READ | Crucial Congress MLAs meet in Jaipur amid suspense over who will be next CM of Rajasthan

    As pro-Gehlot legislators scurried to quit, their mood was reflected in the statement of Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, who commented that the new chief minister should be a representative of the nearly 100 MLAs who stayed in hotels for 38 days to save the Congress government two years ago. Alluding to Pilot, he said, those who tried to topple the Congress cannot be accepted as the chief minister. In July 2020, Pilot along with 18 party MLAs had rebelled against Gehlot.

    Earlier, Gehlot had tweeted – “It has been made up by the media from the very beginning that Ashok Gehlot does not want to leave the post of Chief Minister of Rajasthan, while this thing has never been in my mind.  I have already told the high command on August 9 that it is very important to win the next Rajasthan elections.”

    Another tweet by Gehlot read, “In this country the media becomes the king maker, unfortunately they do not know the ground reality.  The media of Delhi does not know anything and they run such campaigns that they become king makers.”

  • Rajya Sabha elections: 4 BSP turncoats spell trouble for Rajasthan Congress

    By IANS

    UDAIPUR: As the Rajya Sabha (RS) polls near, the resort politics has started again, and pictures of Congress MLAs living a lavish life in Udaipur-based five-star hotel are going viral.

    This is the same hotel which hosted Congress’ Chintan Shivir, however, Congress concerns seem to be escalating as six Congress MLAs are yet to join the political fencing and have missed their Friday deadline.

    It needs to be mentioned here that the BJP has supported Subhas Chandra as its second candidate for the RS seat which has heightened the worries of the Congress and thus it has taken its MLAs for political fencing to Udaipur.

    The trouble makers in Gehlot’s nest are ex-BSP MLAs who were seen enjoying a safari in Sariska while the Congress MLAs were going camping and their pictures were going viral. In fact, they are openly speaking about their annoyance with the Congress government.

    On Friday Rajendra Gudha, Rajasthan Minister of State for Sainik Kalyan attacked Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, saying that the latter talks a lot but it will be better for him if he sits down and get “anxious” instead.

    He alleged that Congress did not fulfil the promise made to them. Expressing his displeasure, he said, “It is a fact that the respect that should have been given to us was not given. I don’t know what was their compulsion. Gehlot sahib speaks a lot in the media. Ajay Maken promised us but he did not fulfil it.”

    In his statement to media, he said, “Gehlot saheb bolte bahut hain, bolte toh hain he, ke ye kiya, media mein bolte hain. Kabhi baith ke chinta karte toh zyada theek hota (Gehlot sahib talks a lot, he does talk a lot, that he has done this, he says so in the media. But it would have been better had he sat down and get anxious).”

    Another BSP turned Congress MLA Wajib Ali raised questions about the stance of the bureaucracy and the lack of action against complaints sent to the Chief Minister. He has also taunted Gehlot.

    Ali was neither made a minister nor given a political appointment despite coming from BSP to Congress. This is considered the main reason for his “displeasure”.

    Apart from Gudha and Ali, two other BSP-turned-Congress leaders including Lakhan Singh (Karauli MLA) and Sandeep Kumar (Tijara, Alwar) are yet to reach Udaipur. Also missing are Girraj Singh (Bari, Dholpur) and Khiladi Lal Bairwa (Baseri, Dholpur).

    Sources said that Chief Minister Gehlot has taken the charge to bring all MLAs to Udaipur.

    Ali further has left the Chief Minister red-faced by denying his claim. Gehlot a day earlier had told the media that the Central government has issued notice to Congress MLA Ali and is threatening the MLAs during the Rajya Sabha elections. However, Ali refuted Gehlot’s claim. He said that till now he has not received any notice from the Central agencies. Even he gets so (the notice), he is ready for investigation.

    Meanwhile, former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has left for Delhi on Friday evening. He reached the airport directly from Taj Aravali Resort in Udaipur.

    Earlier, Pilot with other MLAs including Ramila Khadia (who too was angry with Gehlot), went to Udaipur in a plane. Former state Congress chief said that the party shall win on all three seats. He will return to Udaipur on Monday.

  • Bar six Rajasthan MLAs who defected to Congress from voting in Rajya Sabha polls, demands BSP

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: The Bahujan Samaj Party on Wednesday wrote to Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Assembly Speaker C P Joshi demanding that the six party MLAs who had defected to the Congress be barred from voting in the Rajya Sabha polls.

    The elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan will be held on June 10.

    State BSP president Bhagwan Singh Baba in the letter said a case under the Anti-Defection Law is going on against the MLAs in the Supreme Court.

    “In such a situation, these six MLAs should be stopped from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections because the BSP has decided that it will not support any party or independent in the Rajya Sabha elections,” Baba said.

    Reacting to this, state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said the six MLAs had merged with the Congress and now they are party legislators.

    The six MLA–Rajendra Gudha, Lakhan Meena, Deepchand Kheria, Sandeep Yadav, Joginder Awana and Wajib Ali–had joined the Congress in September 2019.

    The Congress at present has 108 MLAs.

    The Congress has fielded three candidates for the elections and the BJP one.

    The Congress has decided to shift its MLAs in Rajasthan to a Udaipur hotel, with party sources saying they fear that the BJP will poach them ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections.

    The Congress move has come a day after media baron Subhash Chandra, who is backed by the BJP, filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.

    The filing of papers by him as an independent candidate had prompted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to allege that the BJP wants to indulge in horse trading.

  • Congress High Command to deal with Rajasthan leadership issue after Rajya Sabha polls

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: While trouble is brewing in Rajasthan Congress with unsettled leadership issues and growing discontent among party MLAs, the top leadership has decided to wait and watch the situation keeping in mind the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and presidential elections scheduled in July.

    The recent incidents of party MLA Ashok Chandna slamming the Ashok Gehlot government in the state and another MLA and tribal leader Ganesh Ghogra’s resignation blaming state bureaucracy have further increased trouble for the Congress government in the state. The leadership tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot continues to remain unaddressed.    

    A senior party leader said that “there will be finality on the matter in the next two months” and some cabinet changes are expected before the assembly elections next year.

    The trouble in the state has been going on for a while now but the party has failed to take a decision on lingering leadership issues with Pilot pressing for replacing the chief minister. But, the party is cautious not to delay the matter if the situation goes out of control along the lines of what happened to the party in Punjab.   

    “The party is keeping in mind Rajya Sabha elections and upcoming presidential polls. Any decision (on leadership issue) now means annoying MLAs from both camps and that could spoil the mathematics for upcoming polls to the upper house,” said sources.

    The elections for four Rajya Sabha seats are scheduled early next month and the ruling party is hopeful of getting 3 of 4 seats. The Rajasthan assembly having 200 seats, winning a candidate for Rajya Sabha would require 41 votes. The Congress claims that it will manage 123 votes (needed to win three seats) while BJP having 71 MLAs could win only one.

    The Congress has 108 MLAs, including 6 BSP MLAs who merged with the Congress, 13 independents (majority Gehlot supporters), 2 MLAs of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and 1 from the Rashtriya Lok Dal. There are 2 MLAs from Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) and three MLAs from Hanuman Beniwal’s Rashtriya Loktantrik Party – both are unlikely to vote for the BJP.