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.”