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Ashok Gehlot loyalists meet ahead of Congress Legislature Party meeting, want him to remain CM

Ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday evening, MLAs considered close to CM Ashok Gehlot met under the leadership of Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal in what is seen as a message to the high command to pick a Gehlot-loyalist as his successor.

The meeting is also seen as an attempt to thwart the possibility of senior party leader Sachin Pilot being made the next CM.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot prays at the Tanot Mata temple in Jaisalmer on September 25, 2022.

Some participants said Gehlot’s successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in toppling it, a veiled reference to Mr. Pilot.

“If the decision is not taken keeping the MLAs’ sentiments in mind, the government will be in danger,” independent legislator and advisor to the Chief Minister Sanyam Lodha said after the meeting.

Another leader Govind Ram Meghwal said Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party’s national president. He said if Gehlot does not remain the chief minister, the party will face a major trouble in winning the next Assembly elections.

Gehlot is expected to quit as Rajasthan CM if he wins the election to the post of the Congress president, as the party has a ‘one-man one-post’ policy.

Earlier in the day, Gehlot said a one-line resolution stating all Congress legislators have full faith in the party president’s decision on his successor is likely to be passed during the Legislature Party meeting.

Also sparking buzz about a possible change in leadership in Rajasthan, Gehlot said he had held different constitutional posts for 40 years and the new generation should get a chance now, in an indication that he was not averse to the party picking Pilot as his successor. He said that he had made it clear to the party high command earlier in August that retaining power in the state was important, irrespective of who was the CM.