Rajasthan political crisis LIVE: Kharge, Maken likely to arrive in Delhi after miffed MLAs refuse talks
Rajasthan political crisis LIVE Updates: Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads over the CM’s post soon after the Congress won the Assembly elections in December 2018. The high command then chose Gehlot the CM for the third time while Pilot was made his deputy.
Rajasthan political crisis: The Congress in Rajasthan plunged into a crisis Sunday as several MLAs loyal to Ashok Gehlot submitted resignation letters over a possible move to appoint Sachin Pilot as the next CM, their rebellion erupting just ahead of a Congress Legislature Party meeting. The loyalists headed to Speaker CP Joshi’s home after a long meeting in the evening at minister Shanti Dhariwal’s residence, saying they were resigning as MLAs. All this while, at the chief minister’s home, Gehlot and Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken waited for all legislators to arrive for the CLP meeting. Pilot and his supporters came but the meeting was a washout. Gehlot loyalists claimed that over 90 MLAs went to Joshi’s home, but the number could not be verified independently. Congress has 108 MLAs in the House of 200.
Will Sachin Pilot replace Ashok Gehlot as Rajasthan CM?
Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads over 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
The aborted CLP meeting was seen as a crucial step ahead of Gehlot filing his nomination for the Congress president’s post, amid speculation that the former deputy chief minister Pilot will take his place in the state.
Gehlot, seen by many as a reluctant candidate for the top party position, initially appeared unwilling to give up his CM’s post.
Later, it was speculated that he would rather see CP Joshi — or anyone else — as CM rather than Pilot, who had rebelled against his leadership.
Sonia Gandhi directs Maken, Kharge to hold one-on-one talks with miffed MLAs
Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday directed observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to conduct one-on-one talks with Rajasthan MLAs to resolve the issue.
Late at night, there were efforts by Kharge and Maken to persuade Gehlot loyalists to meet them one on one, if not as part of the planned MLAs’ meeting.
Ministers Shanti Dhariwal, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Mahesh Joshi, along with CM Gehlot’s advisor Sanyam Lodha met the AICC observers, but the standoff continued.
News Sources – India Tv News
