Cat and Mouse fight between Congress MLAs and party High Command keeps Raj’s political future ‘suspended’!

Jaipur: It seems that the politics of Rajasthan, and more specifically of Cong, has come at crossroads. While on one hand CM Ashok Gehlot is gearing to file nomination for the post of Cong Prez and Sachin Pilot is being considered as high command’s choice as CM, but, Gehlot camp has become angry with Pilot’s name & ‘rebelled’ against supposed nominee of high command. Even before legislature party meeting on Sunday, MLAs of Gehlot faction gathered at house of Dhariwal and resigned after reaching Joshi’s house. Cabinet minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas claimed that 92 MLAs have resigned. “Our only demand is that CM should not be made out of the people who rebelled. There is displeasure among the legislators as to why decision was not taken after asking legislators,” PSK said. It is being told that Cong incharge Maken briefed high command & specifically Sonia about whole situation in Raj and after that Sonia directed Maken to speak to MLAs on a one to one basis.

Late on Sunday night, KC Venugopal clarified that he did not talk to Gehlot and expressed hope that the problem would be resolved soon. According to sources, Sonia Gandhi has instructed Ajay Maken to return to Delhi only after getting the resolution passed by talking to each of the MLAs, but the MLAs of the Gehlot camp denied any opinion and said that they had sent their proposal and expressed their faith in Gehlot. There was also a discussion in the media that Venugopal spoke to Ashok Gehlot on the phone at the behest of Sonia and Rahul and took full details, in which Gehlot said that the situation was not in his control. Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi, who is said to be very upset with the developments in Rajasthan Congress, has reportedly called Ajay Maken, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot to Delhi. It is also being said that Sonia Gandhi may meet the legislative delegation. However, late in the night, Ajay Maken clarified that he would not go to Delhi, but would talk to each and every MLA as per the instructions of Sonia Gandhi. Maken also said that he will go to Delhi only after getting the resolution passed that Sonia Gandhi is given the right to choose the leader of legislative party.

Earlier, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reached the hotel to meet state in-charge Ajay Maken and Observer Mallikarjun Kharge. After a short meeting, all three reached the CM House. But the meeting was canceled due to nonavailability of several MLAs. However, Sachin Pilot, his supporters MLA and some other MLAs had reached the CM House for the meeting of the legislature party. Dr. Raghu Sharma, Divya Maderna, Rita Singh, Hemaram Chaudhary, Deepender Singh Shekhawat, Harish Meena, Rajendra Gudha, Suresh Modi, Khiladi Lal Bairwa, Girraj Singh Malinga, Brajendra Ola reached CMR. “I also met Maken and Kharge and apprised them of the situation and then, on their behest, I went to Dhariwal’s resience to bring Dhariwal and Dotasara to the hotel, but the MLAs present at Dhariwal’s house did not let them go,” Khachariyawas said. Interestingly, in the meeting at Minister Shanti Dhariwal’s house, the MLAs of Gehlot faction decide to meet Speaker Dr. CP Joshi and made a strategy to submit their resignations. Several MLAs of the Gehlot faction advised to boycott the legislature party meeting. More than 92 MLAs were present in this meeting. It is being told that on Sunday morning, 5 MLAs had gathered at Minister Dhariwal’s house, whom Dhariwal told that Ajay Maken has informed of high command’s one-line proposal which states that the right to choose the new Chief Minister would be handed to the high command. This did not go down well with the MLAs, and the MLAs started gathering at Dhariwal’s residence, whose number increased to 92 by the evening, including independent MLAs. They stressed that ‘opportunity should be given only to MLAs who are loyal to the party