All Rajasthan Cabinet Ministers resign before Ashok Gehlot govt's reshuffle on Sunday

In a major political development coming from Rajasthan, all of the state's cabinet ministers resigned post-meeting with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at his residence on Saturday, after the latter sought their resignations. The new cabinet is likely to take oath on Sunday at 4 pm. As per sources, Gehlot will meet Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and submit the list of new cabinet ministers. On Friday, state's education minister Govind Singh Dotasara, health minister Raghu Sharma and revenue minister Harish Chaudhary had resigned.

The Chief Minister and his deputy Sachin Pilot had earlier met the Congress High Command in New Delhi, with Gehlot meeting the party's interim president Sonia Gandi last week. Sachin Pilot also met Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra recently.

The cabinet rejig holds major significance for Sachin Pilot who is known to be unhappy on account of having missed out on the CM's post when the Congress came to power. The Tonk MLA on several occasions has demanded a cabinet reshuffle.

On Wednesday, he had said a combination of experience and youth should be accommodated in the government and the Congress party. "When they (youth) realise that they have full participation in the government then definitely we will be forming the government in 2023 again," he said.

Apart from Congress MLAs, independents supporting the government and MLAs who defected from the BSP to Congress also have expectations from the reshuffle.

Sachin Pilot rebellion

After Jyotiraditya Scindia's successful rebellion against the erstwhile Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government, his peer Sachin Pilot also staged a rebellion in July last year, flying off to the national capital with 18 MLAs. He was issued a notice by Rajasthan's Special Operations Group (SOG) in connection with the alleged involvement in plummeting the government with help of BJP leaders. 

As Congress' number was reduced to 88 in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the Speaker immediately issued disqualification notices to Pilot and 18 MLAs. Pilot was also relieved of his ministries as well as Pradesh Congress Committee Chief.

The matter reached the Rajasthan high Court as Pilot Camp challenged their disqualification. The matter was calmed by a three-member Congress committee which included late Ahmed Patel, Ajay Maken and K Venugopal and Pilot was successfully brought back into the party's fold. Since then, not many tremors have been felt in Rajasthan Congress.