Over 90 MLAs Cong. Ashok Team Wants Resign Over CM Fight

Cong. MLAs are in protest mode now...

In the race of who becomes the next Chief Minister, the question has turned into a full-blown crisis for Congress. Over 90 MLAs of the Ashok Gehlot camp are in protest mode and had a meeting with the Speaker, claiming they want to resign.

An MLA told the media, ”We want Ashok Gehlot as the Chief Minister", indicating that they are expecting concessions from the Central leadership on the "one man one post" issue. The alternative is a Gehlot loyalist in the top post instead of the Chief Minister's arch-rival Sachin Pilot, said to be the Central leaders' choice.

The MLAs' meeting with the Speaker, CP Joshi, lasted until midnight and will resume later. They also had a round of meeting with the Central observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress's Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Taking notes from the sources, they said, the party's high command is extremely upset with the rebellion. Party chief Sonia Gandhi has tasked the Central leaders with resolving the issue and they will have one-on-one meetings with the MLAs.

Ahead of it, a one-line resolution will be passed and the party president will be authorised to name the new Chief Minister, sources added.

While the party high command wants the issue to be resolved as soon as possible, a section of the MLAs do not wish the Legislature Party meet to happen before a new party president is elected, sources said.

While adding more details, the sources said, Mr Gehlot had a telephonic conversation with central leader KC Venugopal about the evolving situation, where he said, "Nothing is in my hands".

The 90-plus Ashok Gehlot loyalists had raised the issue of Sachin Pilot's rebellion in 2020 at a meeting earlier this evening and said the Chief Minister must be chosen from among those who supported the government at the time. 

The pushback from Gehlot loyalists came after Rahul Gandhi insisted that the "One man one post" maxim be followed, which would force Mr Gehlot to quit the top job in Rajasthan. He is the front-runner for the post of the party's national president, the election for which is due on October 17.