Sachin Pilot leaves for Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi; Gehlot camp to get show cause notice

As the tussle over the Rajasthan Chief Minister's post continues, sources told Republic TV that Congress MLA Sachin Pilot has left for the national capital. The former Rajasthan Deputy CM left from Jaipur by a 2.20 pm flight and is expected to land in Delhi by 3.10 pm, sources added. During his visit, he is likely to meet both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. These deliberations assume significance amid the resistance to his becoming the new Rajasthan CM in the wake of Gehlot's decision to contest the Congress president's election. 

While the Rajasthan CM was considered a favourite for the post, speculation is rife that he won't contest the election as the Gandhis are miffed with the show of strength by his loyalists on September 25. Sources also revealed that the Congress high command is likely to issue a show cause notice to the Gehlot camp MLAs for holding a parallel meeting when the Congress Legislature Party was scheduled. Speaking to the media a day earlier, AICC Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken indicated that necessary action might be taken against the errant MLAs for the breach of party discipline. 

Rajasthan plunges into crisis yet again

On September 23, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot confirmed that he will contest the upcoming election for the Congress president's post. Speaking to the media at the Kochi airport after participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he conceded that he had failed to convince Rahul Gandhi to enter the poll fray. A day later, a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party was convened at 7 pm on September 25. As Sonia Gandhi asked Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to attend the CLP meeting as observer and AICC Rajasthan in-charge respectively, speculation was rife that a new CM will be elected.

This was in line with the one person-one post resolution adopted at the party's Chintan Shivir in Udaipur. However, infighting hit Congress as over 90 Ashok Gehlot camp MLAs didn't turn up at the CLP meeting and submitted their resignation letters to Speaker CP Joshi. They demanded that a decision on the CM must be taken by the new Congress president, Gehlot must have a say in it and the position shouldn't be given to Sachin Pilot or any of his supporters. Kharge and Maken are set to submit a written report in this regard to Congress president Sonia Gandhi by Tuesday.