Rajasthan Congress News: Pilot seeks time to meet Sonia; major decision soon

Distancing himself from the Ashok Gehlot camp MLAs' decision to tender their resignation, the Rajasthan CM's advisor Jitendra Singh said, "I am with the high command irrespective of whom it projects as the CM. I am not in favour of the policy of resignations". 

Upset over an open rebellion in Rajasthan, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday sought a written report on it from party observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken as the chances of Ashok Gehlot becoming the party chief receded and other names cropped up for the post. 

(Report: PTI)

In the latest update, former Deputy CM of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot has sought time to meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Monday, amid political crisis. 

"High Command can make anyone CM, make a new CM or keep CM Gehlot intact, it should not be one of those who revolted against the party, tried to weaken it," State minister and Gehlot loyalist, Mahesh Joshi.

Democratic Azad Party (DAP) leader and former J-K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday tactfully avoided a question on the developments in Rajasthan Congress and said there is no need to take the name of the village which you had left.

Big statement by Ashok Gehlot camp minister Shanti Dhariwal, as he alleged that Ajay Maken acted in a  partisan manner for several days." Efforts to make Sachin Pilot the CM were on for many days. Maken was working to benefit Sachin directly. I have proof of this." said Dhariwal.

He added, "Those who want to topple the government should not be rewarded. MLAs want the government to be stable, we saved the government and the traitors who went to Manesar were being made Chief Ministers."

Kamal Nath left from Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi's residence. 

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also arrived at the residence of the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi. Several leaders of the party, including Ajay Maken, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal & Kamal Nath, met the party chief today. 

As per sources, status-quo is to be maintained till Congress president election nominations. Decision on issuing of show cause notices to miffed MLAs, vocal in public will be taken after interim chief takes action on the report by Observers. AICC Observers will submit a report to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi either tonight or tomorrow.

On his arrival in the national capital, Kamal Nath ducked questions over the Congress presidential post and the Rajasthan political crisis, and rather stated, "I have no interest in (Congress) President post, only here for Navratri wishes."

Speaking on the ongoing Rajasthan political crisis, MLA Ashok Chandna extended his support to the Rajasthan Chief Minister and said, "What the CM has done in the past 5 years, no other CM has done before."

He added, "Matters of the party will stay within the party. The responsibilities that have been given by the people, we will follow them. Everything has time to unfold. All things have been told by the senior leaders and I am not in authority to say anything. Sharad ji is part of the game. He is not a third-party person who signed yesterday, they have put their grievances in front of the authorities. There's no crisis. It will unfold everything in time. Everything will stay within parivar. When there's a huge family, things happen which are not meant to be revealed to the world."

Maken further said, "102 Gehlot loyalists had told us that someone among them must be made CM. We told them that their opinion would be presented before the party chief & that no conditions are attached to resolutions passed. The party chief decides after consultations."

"Gehlot camp has put forth 3 demands. None of the demands can be fulfilled. Parallel meeting in addition to the official meeting of the Congress legislature meet is an act of indiscipline," said Ajay Maken, while addressing the press after meeting Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. 

After meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Ajay Maken briefed the media and said, "Mallikarjun Kharge & I briefed, in detail, the Congress chief about our meetings in Rajasthan. She asked us for a written report. We'll give it to her by tonight or tomorrow."

Some MLAs and ministers of the Gehlot camp are watching polo matches in Jaipur, including Minister Lalchand Kataria, Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, and Advisor to CM. 

As Congress in Rajasthan is on the verge of imploding, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stood as a curious spectator on Monday, September, 26. On the news of an observer being roped in to solve the dispute among the warring factions over speculations of Ashok Gehlot stepping down as the Chief Minister, and Sachin Pilot taking over the post, the BJP reacted to former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's name coming up. 

Read here

Reacting to Rajasthan political crisis, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said, "Whatever is happening in the public domain, it seems, that there is no democracy in Congress."

AICC observers Ajay Maken & Mallikarjun Kharge arrive at the residence of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. They will further give the report to her. 

Now Congress leadership is not keen on Ashok Gehlot filing a nomination for presidential polls. Big decision expected today in the meeting at Sonia Gandhi's residence.

Hectic developments within Congress as party president's election contest throws Gehlot's Rajasthan govt into chaos

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge after arriving in Delhi from Jaipur said, "We are going to 10 Janpath & will meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. We will apprise her about the events (about the Rajasthan Congress crisis). She will eventually take the decision on it."

And AICC observer Ajay Maken said, "We arrived in Delhi after meeting MLAs in Jaipur. We are going to give our report to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi."

AICC observer Ajay Maken arrives in Delhi. Both observers Mallikarjun Kharge & Ajay Maken are scheduled to submit the report to the party's top leadership today. They held a meeting with Gehlot loyalists Pratap Khachariyawas & Shanti Dhariwal yesterday in Jaipur. 

Speaking to the media after meeting Ashok Gehlot, Congress' observer for Rajasthan Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We have informed the Congress president about what happened yesterday. Everybody has to abide by whatever decision is taken eventually. There should be discipline in the party."

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath has arrived in Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi amid the Rajasthan crisis. Commenting on this, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Apparently Kamal Nath being roped in to mediate between warring factions in Rajasthan! Clearly, Gandhis have little credibility and purchase left now? Admission of their inability? Ironically the prime antagonist behind MP factionalism is their pick to solve factionalism". 

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is unlikely to contest the Congress president's election, sources revealed. 

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot arrived at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jaipur to meet Congress leaders. 

As per sources, Ashok Gehlot camp MLAs will do a show of strength amid the tussle over the CM post. All pro-Gehlot legislators are likely to move to Delhi in a day or two to demonstrate their strength in front of the Congress leadership. 

Speaking to the media, AAP MP Raghav Chadha remarked, "The Congress party is on ventilator. It might breathe its last very soon. Congress is in a self-destruction mode in every state. From Punjab to Rajasthan, the 'Congress Chodo' campaign is being run by top Congress leaders." 

Republic TV accessed a video of a Gehlot camp MLA indirectly hitting out at Sachin Pilot in a meeting on Sunday.

Speaking to the media, Congress MLA KL Bairwa remarked, "The high command should decide on CM face. After such an episode, there's no possibility (of Ashok Gehlot becoming Congress president). Why was another meeting called, when a meeting at CM's residence was to be held, isn't it rebellion?" 

Commenting on the Rajasthan political crisis, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said, "If the son turns out to be worthless, then even the courtiers like Ashok Gehlot start grinning. Before the uprising in Rajasthan, Gehlot was considered Sonia Gandhi's confidant. But now it is difficult to fill this mistrust gap between the Gandhi family and Ashok Gehlot. This is the story of the disappearance of a dynasty." 

"Even before this, they (MLAs) have been confined in the enclosure for 50 days. The ambition to become the Chief Minister has exposed Congress. Ashok Gehlot has left such a government that even Gods will not be able to change in such circumstances," Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia opined.

Speaking to the media, AICC Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken said, "The Congress Legislative Party was convened yesterday with the consent of Ashok Gehlot and as per his convenience. We were telling the MLAs who didn't turn up that we are here to listen to everyone and have a one-to-one conversation. We assured them that no decision will be taken and we will convey your opinion to Delhi. After that, Shanti Dhariwal, Dr. Joshi and Pratap Khachariyawas came to meet us as their representatives and put forth 3 conditions before us." 

He added, "First, they said that you can pass a resolution to empower the president. But in the resolution, include that the decision should be taken after October 19. But if Ashok Gehlot moves a resolution leaving everything to the Congress president and when he becomes president after October 19, he will empower himself on his own resolution. There can't be a bigger conflict of interest than this. So, we said don't do this. But they said that you will have to say this publicly and make it a part of the resolution." 

As per sources, the Congress high command is very miffed with Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot. Moreover, Gehlot is now unlikely to get support for the Presidential elections. 

Speaking to the media in Kangra, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, "The entertainment in 'Bharat Jodo' has reduced, now it has started in Rajasthan also. There is no such thing as a government in the state. Congress only wants to enjoy the pleasure of power, does not want to serve the public... Congress has neither direction nor leader." 

AICC observer Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress' Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken will from Jaipur to Delhi via a 2 pm flight, sources revealed. 

As per sources, the Congress high command is keeping a close watch on the situation in Rajasthan. Rahul Gandhi is seriously concerned over the impasse and has sent party general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal to Delhi from Kerala. He will meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the evening. Sources revealed that the party high command can take a big decision today. 

Calling upon Ashok Gehlot to recommend the dissolution of the Assembly, Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Rajendra Rathore remarked, "The sequence of events in Rajasthan hints at the instability of the government. This government was formed amid infighting. Unfortunately, the infighting is going on. For the first time, brave MLAs have challenged the Congress high command." 

Amid the Rajasthan crisis, the process for the election of the Congress president has been stopped today as AICC central election authority chief Madhusudan Mistry has been hospitalized. 

Commenting on the Rajasthan political crisis, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala opined, "Gandhis thought they could do a smooth operation of foisting Ashok Gehlot (their loyal darbari) and present him as an “elected” non-Gandhi President and run things via remote control! Little did they know their darbari would remove the batteries of the remote in Jaipur itself!" 

As per sources, Ashok Gehlot has categorically told AICC observers from Delhi that he would hand over the chair of the Chief minister only to a Congress loyalist and not to a traitor. This was perceived as a swipe at Sachin Pilot. 

Amid the tussle over the Rajasthan CM post, posters of Sachin Pilot were put up in Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's stronghold of Jodhpur. 

Both AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken will come to Delhi today and submit the report to the top leadership. Miffed MLAs are not ready to meet the observers. The next step will be decided after the discussion with the High Command.

The opposition's vice presidential candidate Margaret Alva said, "The events unfolding in Rajasthan are deeply disappointing, unfortunate and unnecessary. Senior leaders in the state must be prepared to sacrifice personal ambition and take their cue from Rahul Gandhi who has shown what the Congress needs the most right now is selfless service." 

Amid high political drama over leadership change in Rajasthan, the Opposition BJP hinted at the imposition of the President’s rule in the state. The saffron party also called the ruling Congress the “government of camps”, with BJP state chief tweeting “God save Rajasthan”. "The current political situation in Rajasthan is pointing towards President's rule. Chief Minister @ashokgehlot51, why are you doing drama? Why is there a delay after the cabinet has resigned? You too should resign,” Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore commented on Twitter.

Taking a swipe at the Rajasthan political crisis, AAP MP Raghav Chadha remarked, "Congress is over, Kejriwal is the alternative". 

As per sources, the Congress Legislature Party meeting will not be held till October 19. Now the meeting will reportedly be held after the result of the Congress president's election. Sources added that the MLAs will go to Delhi after October 19 and meet party president Sonia Gandhi. 

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 C P 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. There was no word from the Speaker's office on the resignation letters. 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.

In the wee hours of Monday, Congress MLAs in the Ashok Gehlot camp left the residence of Assembly Speaker CP Joshi in Jaipur. Speaking to the media, Rajasthan Minister Mahesh Joshi said, "Every MLA has faith in interim president Sonia Gandhi. We've kept our point and expect that our demands will be considered when the final decision is taken by the high command. We want the party to take care of people who've been loyal to Congress". 

Amid rumours that he had spoken to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on the political crisis, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal denied this. He asserted that things will be sorted out soon. 

"We aren't going to Delhi at the moment, we have been instructed by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to conduct one-to-one talks with  Rajasthan Congress MLAs. We'll meet them tonight," Congress leader Ajay Maken.

"Neither did I talk to CM Ashok Gehlot today, nor did he call me, things will be sorted out soon," Congress leader KC Venugopal.

State ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Shanti Dhariwal are meeting AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge at CM Ashok Gehlot's residence.

A large group of MLAs loyal to chief minister Ashok Gehlot who held a meeting at Minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence decided to go to Speaker C P Joshi's residence to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting which was likely to pick Gehlot's successor.

"We are going to the speaker's residence in a bus and will submit our resignation," state minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told reporters.

Sources claimed there were around 80 MLAs, including Independents, in the group.

Some of its MLAs 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 the bid to topple it, a veiled reference to Pilot.

Congress high command summons Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot to Delhi, sources informed adding that party chief Sonia Gandhi is "unhappy" with pro-Gehlot MLAs' threat to resign.

Most of the Gehlot camp MLAs have threatened to resign if Pilot is made Chief Minister.

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday took jibe amid a political crisis in the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government.

He shared picture of Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot with Rahul Gandhi and asked Congress to unite them first before 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

High-voltage drama ensued in Rajasthan after Ashok Gehlot gave his consent to step down from the Chief Ministerial post on Sunday, September 25. The MLAs of the state, infuriated by Gehlot's decision, have decided to tender their resignation. They are headed to Assembly Speaker CP Joshi's residence in a bus, to meet him and hand over their resignation letters. Read FULL STORY HERE.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress leaders Sachin Pilot, Ajay Maken, Raghu Sharma, KC Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge are presently at CM's residence. 

According to sources, KC Venugopal has asked Gehlot regarding what instigated MLAs to consider resignation.

Rajasthan minister Govind Ram Meghwal said that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party's national president. 

This development comes at a time when over 100 Congress MLAs, who are Gehlot loyalists, threatened to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting which was likely to pick his successor.
 

On the political turmoil, Congress MLA Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, "10-15 MLAs are being heard while other MLAs are being neglected. Party doesn't listen to us, decisions are being taken without it."