The Indian National Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday held a couple of rounds individual meetings with Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, the two frontrunners for the top post in Rajasthan, before taking a final call on who would head a government in the desert state.
Rahul Gandhi also held round of talks with the party’s central observer KC Venugopal, State in-charge Avinash Pande and seek feedbacks about the views of the Congress’s newly elected legislators on the matter. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were also present in Rahul’s residence in Delhi between talks and deliberations to choose a name for the top post in the desert state.
Congress President gave separate hearings to both Pilot and Gehlot, one representing the young face of the party and the other, the old guard respectively.
In the meanwhile, supporters of Sachin Pilot raised Slogans outside Rahul Office and in Jaipur. Later Congress State Chief Pilot urged the workers to remain calm. Pilot Tweeted:
सभी कार्यकर्ताओं से शांति एवं अनुशासन बनाए रखने का आग्रह करता हूँ। मुझे पार्टी के शीर्ष नेतृत्व पर पूरा विश्वास है, माननीय राहुल गाँधी जी एवं श्रीमती सोनिया गाँधी जी जो फ़ैसला लेंगे उसका हम स्वागत करेंगे।हम सभी कांग्रेस के समर्पित,पार्टी की गरिमा बनाये रखना हम सभी की ज़िम्मेदारी
— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) December 13, 2018
A similar request was also made by Gehlot. Gehlot as quoted by News Agency ANI said, ‘I appeal to workers to maintain calm, they have worked very hard, whatever decisions will be taken will be binding on all. Rahul ji is talking to and consulting all leaders’
Ashok Gehlot, Congress: I appeal to workers to maintain calm, they have worked very hard, whatever decisions will be taken will be binding on all. Rahul ji is talking to and consulting all leaders pic.twitter.com/CUvp7wPWDC
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2018
There has been hectic lobbying for the top post and both leaders have staked their claims for the post of chief minister, sources said.
Rahul Gandhi sought the views of party workers through an internal messaging system – ‘Shakti App’ with a pre-recorded message asking them to send their views directly to him through the application.
Sources said a decision on the post of chief minister will be taken by today itself to enable the oath-taking soon.
Earlier on Tuesday in recently concluded Rajasthan Assembly Elections, the Congress unseated BJP’s Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan Assembly Elections and registered a comeback by winning 99 seats out of 199 in the 2018 Assembly elections. The final tally saw BJP finishing second with 73 seats, CPI-M 2, BSP 6, Independents 13 and others 6.
Short of a majority by a seat, Congress has received support from RLD who have secured one seat in the state. On Wednesday, BSP supremo Mayawati also extended its support to Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Samajwadi Party also said to support Congress in Madhya Pradesh.