News Analysis India

Tag: Rajendra Gudha

  • Rajasthan CM Gehlot’s sacking of cabinet minister sparks a political row in poll-bound state

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: The dismissal of Rajasthan cabinet minister Rajendra Singh Gudha by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has ignited a huge controversy over the issue of women’s safety in the state.

    Gudha was dismissed on Friday after he questioned his own government’s performance in reining in crimes against women, even as his peers slammed the Manipur violence.

    Following his dismissal, CM Gehlot held a press conference in Jaipur on Saturday but refrained from clarifying the reasons behind the minister’s removal.

    However, he staunchly defended his government’s record on law and order, particularly addressing the allegations of crimes against women. Gehlot said that comparing the situation in Rajasthan with that of Manipur, as alleged, is “unjustifiable.”

    When asked about the continuous criticism and protests against the government by Rajendra Gudha, who had been vocal about various issues, including law and order, CM Gehlot responded that this matter pertains to the party’s internal affairs and will be addressed after discussions within the party.

    It appears that the former minister had been challenging CM Gehlot’s government for several months, making provocative statements. However, his recent remarks during the assembly session seem to have triggered his dismissal from the government.

    Rajendra Gudha is among the six former BSP MLAs who switched to Congress in 2020. Though he was earlier in the Gehlot group, in the past year or so he had moved into the Sachin Pilot camp.

    Given his provocative remarks in the last few months, many believe that his recent actions indicate a desire to leave Congress before the upcoming elections. Notably, Rajendra Gudha’s repeated statements had been causing discomfort for the Ashok Gehlot government.

    However, experts also opine that Gudha himself may have orchestrated this situation to distance himself from the Gehlot government.

    Having contested three elections so far, Rajendra Gudha won two on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket. Despite his victories, he joined the Congress along with other BSP MLAs on both occasions and held ministerial positions.

    Considering the caste and political dynamics of Gudha’s assembly seat, Udaipurwati, the former minister and his supporters are said to believe that it might be more suitable for him to contest elections with a third force rather than representing the Congress or BJP. His recent opposition to the Gehlot government just ahead of the elections indicates this possibility.

    Given that Gudha left the BSP after winning elections twice on their ticket, it might be challenging for the party to trust him for a third time.

    Consequently, he also held a meeting with AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and there are speculations that he might contest the upcoming election from Owaisi’s party. Alternatively, he could consider running as an independent candidate. However, his immediate aim is to be expelled from the Congress.

    All eyes are now focused on what Gudha’s next course of action will be. It is likely that when Gudha addresses the Assembly on Monday, he will say something that leads to his expulsion from the party.

    JAIPUR: The dismissal of Rajasthan cabinet minister Rajendra Singh Gudha by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has ignited a huge controversy over the issue of women’s safety in the state.

    Gudha was dismissed on Friday after he questioned his own government’s performance in reining in crimes against women, even as his peers slammed the Manipur violence.

    Following his dismissal, CM Gehlot held a press conference in Jaipur on Saturday but refrained from clarifying the reasons behind the minister’s removal.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    However, he staunchly defended his government’s record on law and order, particularly addressing the allegations of crimes against women. Gehlot said that comparing the situation in Rajasthan with that of Manipur, as alleged, is “unjustifiable.”

    When asked about the continuous criticism and protests against the government by Rajendra Gudha, who had been vocal about various issues, including law and order, CM Gehlot responded that this matter pertains to the party’s internal affairs and will be addressed after discussions within the party.

    It appears that the former minister had been challenging CM Gehlot’s government for several months, making provocative statements. However, his recent remarks during the assembly session seem to have triggered his dismissal from the government.

    Rajendra Gudha is among the six former BSP MLAs who switched to Congress in 2020. Though he was earlier in the Gehlot group, in the past year or so he had moved into the Sachin Pilot camp.

    Given his provocative remarks in the last few months, many believe that his recent actions indicate a desire to leave Congress before the upcoming elections. Notably, Rajendra Gudha’s repeated statements had been causing discomfort for the Ashok Gehlot government.

    However, experts also opine that Gudha himself may have orchestrated this situation to distance himself from the Gehlot government.

    Having contested three elections so far, Rajendra Gudha won two on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket. Despite his victories, he joined the Congress along with other BSP MLAs on both occasions and held ministerial positions.

    Considering the caste and political dynamics of Gudha’s assembly seat, Udaipurwati, the former minister and his supporters are said to believe that it might be more suitable for him to contest elections with a third force rather than representing the Congress or BJP. His recent opposition to the Gehlot government just ahead of the elections indicates this possibility.

    Given that Gudha left the BSP after winning elections twice on their ticket, it might be challenging for the party to trust him for a third time.

    Consequently, he also held a meeting with AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and there are speculations that he might contest the upcoming election from Owaisi’s party. Alternatively, he could consider running as an independent candidate. However, his immediate aim is to be expelled from the Congress.

    All eyes are now focused on what Gudha’s next course of action will be. It is likely that when Gudha addresses the Assembly on Monday, he will say something that leads to his expulsion from the party.

  • Rajasthan CM Gehlot sacks state minister Rajendra Gudha for his remarks on law and order

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday sacked Rajendra Gudha as minister of state, hours after he cornered the state government over law and order in the assembly.

    Gudha held charge as Minister of State for Sainik Kalyan (Independent Charge), Home Guard and Civil Defence, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development.

    A Raj Bhavan spokesperson said, “Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recommended Governor Kalraj Mishra to dismiss a member of the council of ministers Rajendra Gudha in the evening. The governor has accepted this recommendation with immediate effect.”

    Gudha on Friday questioned his own government’s performance in reining in crimes against women, even as his peers slammed the Manipur violence.

    During the discussion on the Rajasthan Minimum Income Guaranteed Bill, 2023, in the Assembly, Congress MLAs waved placards on the Manipur violence.

    The protest, however, did not go down well with Gudha, who sought accountability from his own government on crimes against women.

    “The way we have failed to provide security to women in Rajasthan and atrocities on women have increased, instead of raising the issue of Manipur, we should introspect,” Gudha said in the assembly.

    Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore latched onto Gudha’s statement and slammed the state government, saying Rajasthan tops the chart for crimes against women.

    Rathore later asked Gehlot, who is also the home minister, to take responsibility for the “poor” state of law and order in Rajasthan.

    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal responded to the charges, saying that the state government has supplied the House with the statistics that show that the maximum number of atrocities were committed on women during BJP rule.

    Hours later, after a green signal from the party’s high command, Gehlot sent a recommendation to the governor to sack Gudha.

    Following his sacking, Gudha told reporters that he was punished for speaking the truth. “Rajasthan is at the number one position in crimes against women. What did I say? I got the punishment for speaking the truth,” he said.

    BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Meena sided with Gudha and said he spoke the truth in the assembly.

    “Law and order in Rajasthan has deteriorated and crimes against women have increased multifold. The minister had expressed what is true,” he said.

    Gudha, who is among six MLAs who won the 2018 assembly elections on a BSP ticket before defecting to the Congress in September 2019, was inducted as a minister in November 2021. He represents Jhunjhunu’s Udaipurwati constituency.

    Gudha and other MLAs who won on a BSP ticket had supported Gehlot in July 2020, during his tussle with his then-deputy Sachin Pilot, which had led to a political crisis.

    However, in the last few months, Gudha has made statements in favour of Pilot. He has also caused embarrassment to the Congress-led government with his recent statements.

    In a widely circulated video a few days ago, he was heard saying that Gehlot and Pilot were running after him, so there must be some quality in him.

    Gudha also launched a scathing attack on the Congress government and alleged that the dispensation had surpassed Karnataka’s “40 per cent commission BJP government” in corruption.

    While addressing a rally in support of Pilot in May, Gudha said, “Hamari sarkar ka alignment kharab ho gaya (our government’s alignment has been disturbed). The record of corruption has been broken. There was an issue of 40 per cent corruption in Karnataka. Our government has surpassed it,” he had said.

    He also met AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi during his recent visit to the state.

    Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the second day in a row on Friday following vociferous protests over the Manipur violence by opposition MPs.

    The Monsoon session started on Thursday, a day after a horrific video of two women being sexually assaulted and paraded by a mob on May 4 in a Manipur village went viral.

    ‘Sacked for telling the truth’

    The BJP on Friday accused Gehlot of sacking Gudha for telling the truth and added that “it shows how serious the ruling Congress is about the issue of crimes against women.”

    Reacting to the minister’s sacking, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said in a tweet in Hindi that Gehlot removed Gudha from his cabinet for telling “the truth.”

    “This shows how serious Congress is about harassment of women,” the BJP leader charged.

    Senior BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat also targeted the Rajasthan chief minister and said in a tweet in Hindi, “Telling the truth is forbidden in Gehlot’s regime.”

    “The chief minister does not have the courage to accept the truth. When his minister Rajendra Gudha ji told the truth in the assembly, Gehlot ji felt so bad that he removed him from the post itself,” Shekhawat said. With this, Gehlot has warned his colleagues if they speak the truth, they will not be spared, the Union minister charged. “Intimidating one’s own comrades, gagging them will also be called oppression,” he added.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday sacked Rajendra Gudha as minister of state, hours after he cornered the state government over law and order in the assembly.

    Gudha held charge as Minister of State for Sainik Kalyan (Independent Charge), Home Guard and Civil Defence, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development.

    A Raj Bhavan spokesperson said, “Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recommended Governor Kalraj Mishra to dismiss a member of the council of ministers Rajendra Gudha in the evening. The governor has accepted this recommendation with immediate effect.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Gudha on Friday questioned his own government’s performance in reining in crimes against women, even as his peers slammed the Manipur violence.

    During the discussion on the Rajasthan Minimum Income Guaranteed Bill, 2023, in the Assembly, Congress MLAs waved placards on the Manipur violence.

    The protest, however, did not go down well with Gudha, who sought accountability from his own government on crimes against women.

    “The way we have failed to provide security to women in Rajasthan and atrocities on women have increased, instead of raising the issue of Manipur, we should introspect,” Gudha said in the assembly.

    Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore latched onto Gudha’s statement and slammed the state government, saying Rajasthan tops the chart for crimes against women.

    Rathore later asked Gehlot, who is also the home minister, to take responsibility for the “poor” state of law and order in Rajasthan.

    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal responded to the charges, saying that the state government has supplied the House with the statistics that show that the maximum number of atrocities were committed on women during BJP rule.

    Hours later, after a green signal from the party’s high command, Gehlot sent a recommendation to the governor to sack Gudha.

    Following his sacking, Gudha told reporters that he was punished for speaking the truth. “Rajasthan is at the number one position in crimes against women. What did I say? I got the punishment for speaking the truth,” he said.

    BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Meena sided with Gudha and said he spoke the truth in the assembly.

    “Law and order in Rajasthan has deteriorated and crimes against women have increased multifold. The minister had expressed what is true,” he said.

    Gudha, who is among six MLAs who won the 2018 assembly elections on a BSP ticket before defecting to the Congress in September 2019, was inducted as a minister in November 2021. He represents Jhunjhunu’s Udaipurwati constituency.

    Gudha and other MLAs who won on a BSP ticket had supported Gehlot in July 2020, during his tussle with his then-deputy Sachin Pilot, which had led to a political crisis.

    However, in the last few months, Gudha has made statements in favour of Pilot. He has also caused embarrassment to the Congress-led government with his recent statements.

    In a widely circulated video a few days ago, he was heard saying that Gehlot and Pilot were running after him, so there must be some quality in him.

    Gudha also launched a scathing attack on the Congress government and alleged that the dispensation had surpassed Karnataka’s “40 per cent commission BJP government” in corruption.

    While addressing a rally in support of Pilot in May, Gudha said, “Hamari sarkar ka alignment kharab ho gaya (our government’s alignment has been disturbed). The record of corruption has been broken. There was an issue of 40 per cent corruption in Karnataka. Our government has surpassed it,” he had said.

    He also met AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi during his recent visit to the state.

    Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the second day in a row on Friday following vociferous protests over the Manipur violence by opposition MPs.

    The Monsoon session started on Thursday, a day after a horrific video of two women being sexually assaulted and paraded by a mob on May 4 in a Manipur village went viral.

    ‘Sacked for telling the truth’

    The BJP on Friday accused Gehlot of sacking Gudha for telling the truth and added that “it shows how serious the ruling Congress is about the issue of crimes against women.”

    Reacting to the minister’s sacking, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said in a tweet in Hindi that Gehlot removed Gudha from his cabinet for telling “the truth.”

    “This shows how serious Congress is about harassment of women,” the BJP leader charged.

    Senior BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat also targeted the Rajasthan chief minister and said in a tweet in Hindi, “Telling the truth is forbidden in Gehlot’s regime.”

    “The chief minister does not have the courage to accept the truth. When his minister Rajendra Gudha ji told the truth in the assembly, Gehlot ji felt so bad that he removed him from the post itself,” Shekhawat said. With this, Gehlot has warned his colleagues if they speak the truth, they will not be spared, the Union minister charged. “Intimidating one’s own comrades, gagging them will also be called oppression,” he added.

  • Cong prez polls: Anyone including Sachin Pilot acceptable as CM, says Gehlot’s minister 

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s indication of leaving the post of CM in the event of filing a nomination for Congress President has heated up the political scene in the state. The question of who will be the CM of Rajasthan if Gehlot becomes the national president is being hotly debated.

    In the midst of these questions, a minister in the Gehlot government, Rajendra Gudha, has raised the political temperature by saying that he will be with the Congress high Command and whichever name the Gandhi family decides will be acceptable, even if it is Sachin Pilot, Gehlot’s arch-rival.

    Minister Gudha is one of the six MLAs who switched from the BSP to Congress three years ago. CM Gehlot had included him in Congress and in the cabinet expansion held last year, he was also inducted into the state cabinet.

    Talking to the media in Jaipur on Thursday, Gudha said, “We are only with the Congress high command. Whoever Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi choose, he will be our Chief Minister.”

    Gudha also claimed that this stand is not only his but of all the other five MLAs who joined the Congress from BSP. He said their group is not averse to making Gehlot’s rival Sachin Pilot as the Chief Minister and remarked, “our yes is not only for Sachin Pilot, but also for Bharosi Lal Jatav.” ( a Dalit MLA of the Congress)

    Meanwhile, after Gehlot’s statement, his supporters have also come forward.  Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, who is supporting the Congress and is an advisor to the Chief Minister, said that the next election can be won only on the face of Gehlot. Lodha said, “Ashok Gehlot started the schemes for the welfare of the poor and he has done wonderful work for four years as the Chief Minister. He has done unprecedented work of development and it is only by keeping his face in the forefront that Congress can get the benefit of all those works.”

    Cabinet Minister Ram Lal Jat also praised Gehlot and said “Wherever he is, we know his capabilities and he will raise the flag of Congress in entire India. If he gets a chance,  as a chief minister Gehlot has given great schemes for Rajasthan.”

    While talking to the media in Kochi on Thursday, Gehlot took a U-Turn on the statement of staying in two posts in Delhi on Wednesday and made it clear that the post of AICC President has to look after the work of the whole country and all the states, so he cannot hold two posts.  “Till date, no Congress president in history has been a chief minister at the same time.” He also added that the role of the President is to revive the Congress, then how can you keep two posts.”

    Now the tussle between Gehlot and his rival Sachin Pilot camp will intensify over the appointment of the new Chief Minister.  Besides Pilot, the other names that are being discussed the most are Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, state Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra and former Union Minister Bhanwar Jitendra Singh.  It will be interesting to see on whose head the Gandhi family keeps the crown.

    Gehlot met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi for the last time and tried to persuade him to become the president.  After Rahul Gandhi’s clear no, Gehlot plans to file his nomination.  The notification for the election of Congress President was issued today and in case of a contest, the result will be declared on October 19.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s indication of leaving the post of CM in the event of filing a nomination for Congress President has heated up the political scene in the state. The question of who will be the CM of Rajasthan if Gehlot becomes the national president is being hotly debated.

    In the midst of these questions, a minister in the Gehlot government, Rajendra Gudha, has raised the political temperature by saying that he will be with the Congress high Command and whichever name the Gandhi family decides will be acceptable, even if it is Sachin Pilot, Gehlot’s arch-rival.

    Minister Gudha is one of the six MLAs who switched from the BSP to Congress three years ago. CM Gehlot had included him in Congress and in the cabinet expansion held last year, he was also inducted into the state cabinet.

    Talking to the media in Jaipur on Thursday, Gudha said, “We are only with the Congress high command. Whoever Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi choose, he will be our Chief Minister.”

    Gudha also claimed that this stand is not only his but of all the other five MLAs who joined the Congress from BSP. He said their group is not averse to making Gehlot’s rival Sachin Pilot as the Chief Minister and remarked, “our yes is not only for Sachin Pilot, but also for Bharosi Lal Jatav.” ( a Dalit MLA of the Congress)

    Meanwhile, after Gehlot’s statement, his supporters have also come forward.  Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, who is supporting the Congress and is an advisor to the Chief Minister, said that the next election can be won only on the face of Gehlot. Lodha said, “Ashok Gehlot started the schemes for the welfare of the poor and he has done wonderful work for four years as the Chief Minister. He has done unprecedented work of development and it is only by keeping his face in the forefront that Congress can get the benefit of all those works.”

    Cabinet Minister Ram Lal Jat also praised Gehlot and said “Wherever he is, we know his capabilities and he will raise the flag of Congress in entire India. If he gets a chance,  as a chief minister Gehlot has given great schemes for Rajasthan.”

    While talking to the media in Kochi on Thursday, Gehlot took a U-Turn on the statement of staying in two posts in Delhi on Wednesday and made it clear that the post of AICC President has to look after the work of the whole country and all the states, so he cannot hold two posts.  “Till date, no Congress president in history has been a chief minister at the same time.” He also added that the role of the President is to revive the Congress, then how can you keep two posts.”

    Now the tussle between Gehlot and his rival Sachin Pilot camp will intensify over the appointment of the new Chief Minister.  Besides Pilot, the other names that are being discussed the most are Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, state Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra and former Union Minister Bhanwar Jitendra Singh.  It will be interesting to see on whose head the Gandhi family keeps the crown.

    Gehlot met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi for the last time and tried to persuade him to become the president.  After Rahul Gandhi’s clear no, Gehlot plans to file his nomination.  The notification for the election of Congress President was issued today and in case of a contest, the result will be declared on October 19.