Though, differences between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot camps to grab power marred the celebrations to a certain extent.
It would not be wrong to say that the year 2018 brought good political fortune for the Congress as it made a comeback in state by registering a victory in the 2018 Assembly elections. Though, differences between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot camps to grab power marred the celebrations to a certain extent.
The year began with bypoll victory for the Congress. The grand old party which was reduced to 21 seats in 2013 Assembly election won two Parliamentary seats of Alwar, Ajmer and Assembly seat of Mandalgarh, making a clean sweep.
The credit of victory went to Pilot who toiled a lot for the party, campaigning extensively. He charted out electioneering perfectly in such manner that BJP just ahead of the Assembly election could not retain a single seat in bypolls.
There was strong grapevine that Pilot, who worked hard to revive the party, would be the chief minister of the state if the party comes to power. His loyal, workers were joyous but on the contrary Gehlot, despite being engaged in national politics, was busy setting equations in his favour.
Gehlot visited the state numerous times and dropped twisted messages hinting that he could not be ignored. ‘Main Thansu Door Koni’, I am not away from you was his pet sentence that he delivered on many occasions.
The Game of Thrones, finally, began in late October-November when the party deliberated over ticket distributions. Senior leaders of the state and Centre mulled over names of candidates several times. And when the list was out, it clearly bore Gehlot’s stamp. December 11, when the election results were announced, the party scored 99 seats out of 199 seats, one less for majority. The party relied on the allies and the Independent MLAs to form the government. This situation worked in Gehlot’s favour who is a master of running coalition governments.
After several rounds of talks in New Delhi the party president Rahul Gandhi made Gehlot as CM.
However, under a power sharing formula, Pilot was made the deputy CM. The year is over with the ministers resuming charge of departments they were allocated. Now party faces fresh challenge of Lok Sabha election.
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