The report on the developments in Rajasthan following the political crisis in the state over the move to find a successor to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is likely to run for the party’s presidential election, will be presented to Congress leaders Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday around noon.
Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge informed party leader Sonia Gandhi of the events earlier on Monday. Sonia Gandhi requested a written report from Maken and Kharge, who were designated observers for the parliamentary party meeting. “Mallikarjun Kharge and I briefed Congress chief everything about our meetings in Rajasthan in detail. Now she has asked us for a written report that will be given to her,” he told reporters.
Ashok Gehlot reportedly agreed to submit his nomination in the Congress presidential elections and presumably wanted a successor of his choosing in Rajasthan, which precipitated the political turmoil. As the Congress looks to resolve the political crisis in Rajasthan brought on by efforts to find a replacement for Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is likely to run for the party’s presidential nomination, sources had earlier stated that the status quo would be maintained until the nomination process was complete.
A decision on issuing show cause notices to irate MLAs, who have been vociferous in public, will be made when interim leader Sonia Gandhi looks at the report by the observers deployed to the state, according to sources, with party monitors criticising several activities of Ashok Gehlot loyalists. “Status-quo to be maintained till Congress president election nominations. Decision on issuing show cause notices to miffed MLAs, vocal in public will be taken after interim chief takes action on a report by observers,” a source said.
The nomination period for the Congress’s presidential elections ends on September 30. Maken, the AICC delegate for Rajasthan, claimed that the three ministers who met with them at Gehlot’s house suggested three standards. He asserted that they mandated that the CLP resolution be decided upon once the results of the presidential election were announced in Congress on October 19. Maken disapproved of the demand and emphasised that Gehlot would be placed in “a conflict of interest” if it were to be implemented.
He claimed that the ministers also required MLAs to meet the observers in groups and that this was unacceptable. “We wanted to meet every MLA individually so that the decision is free and fair,” Ajay Maken stated. He claimed that the three ministers had also stated that Gehlot should be succeeded by one of the 102 MLAs who had supported him throughout the turmoil in 2020. Due to demands made by Sachin Pilot and MLAs who supported him, the Gehlot government had a political crisis in 2020.