Revolt in Rajasthan

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot rebellion suggests an inevitable transition in Congress. It is being reported that he may not be the candidate of the top post in the party and other may step in. Kamal Nath is the talk of the day. Dr. P. C. Singh analyses the situation.

The revolt in Rajasthan was sudden though may not be unexpected. The Congress leadership may have anticipated this as in the recent meeting with Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi said that the name of the united opposition for the 2024 electoral battle will be decided once the election of Congress president is concluded. Thus, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot once considered loyal to the Nehru-Gandhi family has turned a rebel. For, who will believe that without his approval more than 90 party MLAs and his supporters in the state will look for a pretext of avoiding Congress central observers, Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken? They are in their respective constituencies for Navratri festival, it is claimed. When asked about the defying MLAs, Mr. Gehlot reportedly said that he does not have any control over the whole affair.

When the Congress is fighting for its survival and Rahul Gandhi is on Padyatra, Gehlot’s defying gesture is indicative of weakening grip of the Nehru–Gandhi family in the Congress. Owing to the pressure created from within by the G-20 for a permanent president of the party and call for ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’ by Narendra Modi, Mrs. Gandhi has allowed election of the post and Rahul Gandhi has made it evidently clear that someone else from Nehru-Gandhi family be president of the grand-old party. This does not mean that the dynasty in the Congress is irrelevant now.

Once a loyalist, Mr. Gehlot was sure to occupy the top party post but personal political ambition has probably led him to become a rebel. He is not willing to accept top organizational post at the cost of chief-ministerial post. Gehlot’s supporters have demanded anyone but Gehlot’s bête noire Sachin Pilot. It is not known whether Gehlot is aiming to follow the footprint of former Punjab chief minister Capt. Amrinder Singh who after lots of tall claims has finally joined the BJP. What is apparent is that the Rajasthan chief minister has lost the confidence of the Congress leadership. It is being reported that he may not be the candidate of the top post in the party and other may step in. Kamal Nath is the talk of the day. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.