High command sends team to resolve Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot standoff

Protesting MLAs demand that no one from the Pilot camp should be appointed CM

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath was called in to cool tempers in the two factions of the Congress in Rajasthan — one led by Ashok Gehlot and the other by Sachin Pilot.

The duo is locked in a standoff, in an unintended offshoot of the ongoing election of the Congress president.  

Sources in the Congress, who know Gehlot, say he may not file a nomination for the president’s post at all so that he gets to keep his chief ministership. He is supposed to file a nomination on Tuesday.

MLAs ‘loyal’ to Gehlot had resigned en masse over the weekend, though the Rajasthan Assembly Speaker’s office asserted it had not received any resignation letters.

This has led the Congress high command to derive that the resignations were orchestrated by the Gehlot camp. Rahul Gandhi hinted that the one-man one-post rule applied to Gehlot and he would have to give up the CM’s post if he became party president.

“This is a rebellion! Mrs (Sonia) Gandhi is extremely angry at what is happening in Rajasthan. She may order disciplinary action against the MLAs,” said a former Congress Working Committee (CWC) member.

As party president, Gandhi dispatched two All-India Congress Committee (AICC) observers, general secretary Ajay Maken and leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Sunday to meet the observers and Gehlot. 

The MLAs stayed away from a meeting with the observers. After his meeting with Gehlot, Kharge said, “We have informed the Congress president about what happened on Sunday. Everybody has to abide by whatever decision is taken eventually. There should be discipline in the party.”

Later, three Cong MLAs, who are Gehlot supporters, met the observers.

Speaking to reporters in Jaipur, Maken said, “Pratap Khachariyawas, Shanti Dhariwal and CP Joshi met us and put three demands before us.

One was to announce the implementation of a resolution of handing over the responsibility (to appoint a CM) to Congress president after October 19. We said it'll be a conflict of interest (referring to the likely elevation of Gehlot to the position).” Maken added that if Gehlot becomes Congress president, he could empower himself with the right to designate the chief minister if he thinks it appropriate.

Maken said the second condition was MLAs wanted to meet them in groups. “We told them we would only meet MLAs individually. They did not accept this.” The three leaders said if Gehlot resigns, the new chief minister must be from his group, not the Sachin Pilot group. We said that their exact sentiments will be conveyed to the Congress chief, who will take a decision after talking to Gehlot and others.”

He added, “We waited for more MLAs to come, but they didn't. Kharge and I are going to Delhi to submit our report to the Congress chief. No one has any idea about the number and identities of the MLAs, who have or haven’t resigned. We are hopeful of finding a solution.”

Meanwhile, in Kerala, for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul held a meeting with party general secretary K Venugopal, who then flew to Delhi to advise Sonia Gandhi on the developments.

Rival parties BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could not conceal their delight at these developments. Union minister Anurag Thakur said: “There was not enough entertainment in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. So now, the Congress is offering us non-stop soap operas.”

AAP said, “Judging by the recent events, the Congress is engaged in a Bharat todo and Congress todo yatra.”

An air of uncertainty hangs over the party. On one hand, many state units are passing resolutions asking Rahul to become party president. But there are other concerns.

“The arrangement was that Gehlot was to continue as CM until the election. And after the election, as state units kept asking for Rahul, he would have resigned. But now, he is also quite insecure. What if he quits the chief ministership, becomes party president and then Rahul changes his mind?” said a former CWC member.

The test will come if and when Gehlot files his nomination papers. If he does not, former Union minister and MP Shashi Tharoor, who is also planning to contest, could be elected in a one-horse race.