In late-night events amid an escalating political crisis in Rajasthan, a group of Congress MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tendered their resignations to Assembly Speaker CP Joshi. The crisis unfolded on Sunday when a crucial meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) was scheduled to be held amid furore over Gehlot’s likely successor to contest next month’s Congress presidential election. A group of about 90+ MLAs are believed to have submitted their resignation letters.
Hours after more than 80 MLAs were seen boarding a bus, ostensibly to the speaker’s house to submit their resignations, a four-member delegation of Shanti Dhariwal, Mahesh Joshi, Pratap Singh and independent legislator Sanyam Lodha told senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken. that the CLP meeting should be held after October 19, once the presidential election is over, people familiar with the development said.
If Ashok Gehlot is chosen for the top party post, the chief minister should be appointed from among the 102 MLAs who stood by the party during the 2020 crisis, they added, referring to the Sachin Pilot rebellion about two years ago.
Ashok Gehlot and Shashi Tharoor have emerged as the frontrunners in the presidential poll race for the party and if elected, Gehlot would have to vacate the CM seat under the party’s “one man, one post” rule. It is speculated that Sachin Pilot would be Gehlot’s likely successor.
On Sunday, his loyalists also said that Gehlot should be part of the decision on the new chief minister. They refused to take any resolution and left the decision to the party high command to choose the next chief minister for Rajasthan, people familiar with the development pointed out. The MLAs left the speaker’s house at 12 noon.
Earlier in the evening, Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken along with Gehlot arrived at the Chief Minister’s residence where the Congress Legislature Party meeting was to be held. The pilot is said to have arrived as well.
A group of legislators loyal to Gehlot held a meeting at the residence of state minister Shanti Dhariwal and then went to the residence of Speaker CP Joshi to tender their resignation. All the MLAs are angry and resign. After that we go to the speaker. The MLAs are upset that how can CM Ashok Gehlot take a decision without consulting them,” Congress MLA Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said and CM Gehlot should pay attention to the MLA’s suggestions. We have 92 MLAs with us,” he added.
After the Congress won the 2018 Rajasthan assembly elections, Gehlot and Pilot reportedly differed over the post of chief minister. Gehlot was then chosen as the Chief Minister for the third time, while Pilot was appointed as his deputy. Pilot rebelled against Gehlot in July 2020 and camped in Haryana accompanied by MLAs who supported him. He finally announced his return to Rajasthan after the Gandhi family. He was said to have been assured that his complaints would be addressed.
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