Gehlot bats for loyalist in bid to deny Pilot chance to be CM

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wants to drag the issue of finalising his successor to the MLAs even as Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have conveyed to him that Sachin Pilot is the best bet and he has the leadership’s backing.

Sources said Rahul and Gehlot had an extensive discussion in Kochi on the Congress president election and new Chief Minister on the sidelines of Bharat Jodo Yatra on Thursday during which the former Congress president threw his weight behind Pilot.

However, Gehlot is not willing to go without a fight as he wants to install a loyalist in Rajasthan and deny Pilot a chance to succeed him. Pilot has been eyeing the post patiently after a failed bid in 2020.

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For Gehlot, conceding space to Pilot in Rajasthan despite becoming Congress president is unthinkable as it would be perceived as diminished clout in the party apparatus.

Gehlot is likely to prop up senior leader and Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi or his loyalists BD Kalla or Shanti Kumar Dhariwal against Pilot. Interestingly, Joshi was at one time considered close to Rahul and acted as a sort of mentor to him in his early political days.

The chief minister did not reveal his cards to the media on Friday when he was asked about the process to choose his successor. He told reporters in Kochi that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken would decide when and what would be the process for choosing his successor, if he gets elected as Congress president.

Acharya Pramod, who is considered close to Pilot, said as he met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Delhi that “the Congress leadership and the MLAs may decide who will be the next Rajasthan chief minister but the people want justice for Pilot".

Having an overwhelming majority in the Legislature Party, Gehlot wants the decision to be taken by the MLAs as he believes that a headcount will help him thwart Pilot’s bid. He also wants to delay his resignation till the last minute and possibly only after the election is concluded.

Also Read | Gehlot to file nomination as no Gandhi wants to become party president

Pilot’s fear is that once the election is over, Gehlot will have immense clout and could prevent him from becoming the chief minister. Pilot held discussions with Rahul on Wednesday.

With Rahul himself nipping Gehlot’s bid to remain chief minister as well as Congress chief saying that the ‘one person, one post’ norm adopted in Udaipur was expected to be honoured, the senior leader then nuanced his stand saying that he was willing to step down as CM.

In 2018, Gehlot was made chief minister as the majority of the MLAs were favouring him though Pilot had steered the party to victory in the Assembly elections as Rajasthan Congress president. He was then made deputy chief minister but lost the post after he took his MLA supporters to Gurugram, amid indications that he was in discussions with the BJP.