Congress leaders Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge are set to submit the report to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Monday sought detailed report on the drama in party-ruled Rajasthan, where a number of MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, came out in open revolt, from state in charge Ajay Maken.
A meeting on Rajasthan was held at Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence with Ajay Maken, senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal present.
Both Maken and Kharge, who were in Jaipur on Sunday, briefed her about the sequence of events in the state.
“I have briefed Congress President… she has sought a detailed report which I will send to her..,” Maken told media persons after the meeting.
Maken, who was in Jaipur along with Kharge to convene the CLP meeting on Sunday for deciding the new CM face but instead faced a high-voltage drama, on Monday told the media that three members from the Gehlot camp had met them with three proposals, which they did not accept as it raised conflict of interest.
Status quo likely
In wake of embarrassment for the Congress in Rajasthan with a number of MLAs, close to Chief Ashok Gehlot, openly revolting, sources said that the party may adopt a wait and watch strategy and maintain status quo till election of the new chief but no final decision has been taken till now by party President Sonia Gandhi.
A meeting is going on between Sonia Gandhi, Kamal Nath and Priyanka Gandhi to chalk out strategy for Rajasthan. Gehlot, who is set to file papers for the Congress Presidential election, was tipped to quit in favour of Sachin Pilot but his supporters came out strongly against it, and the Congress legislature party meet on Sunday had to be called off.
With party observers slamming some actions of loyalists of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, sources said decision on issuing show cause notices to miffed MLAs, who have been vocal in public, will be taken after interim chief looks Sonia Gandhi into the report by the observers sent to the state.
“Status-quo to be maintained till Congress president election nominations. Decision on issuing of 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 process for filing nominations for Congress presidential elections will end on September 30.
Maken, who is AICC incharge of Rajasthan, said the three ministers who met them at Gehlot’s residence put forward three conditions.
He said they demanded that a decision on a CLP resolution should be after the declaration of Congress presidential poll results on October 19. Rejecting the condition, Maken said a resolution is not passed with conditions and also noted that any such move will be “a conflict of interest” for Gehlot.
He said the ministers also demanded that MLAs should meet the observers in groups and this was not acceptable. “We wanted to meet every MLA individually so that the decision is free and fair,” Maken said.
He said the three ministers also said that a successor to Gehlot should be chosen from among 102 MLAs, who had stood by him during the crisis in 2020. The Gehlot government had faced political crisis in 2020 over demands led by Sachin Pilot and MLAs loyal to him.
Maken on Sunday met three members from the Gehlot camp – Shanti Dhariwal, C.P. Joshi and Pratap Khachriyawas who had put forward their proposals.