Two Congress veterans from Rajasthan—Gehlot and Joshi—are having mixed fortunes; while former continues to weave his magic, the latter’s seems to be fading
Two Congress old guards from Rajasthan, veterans CP Joshi and Ashok Gehlot, are having mixed fortunes since Rahul Gandhi assumed the office of party president. The fall of AICC general secretary CP Joshi, who was once considered closed to Gandhi, continues without any pause. While in sharp contrast, the stature of AICC general secretary (organisation) Ashok Gehlot continues to grow after his ‘star’ performance in Karnataka where he was instrumental in forming an alliance government with JD(S).
After Bihar, now Joshi has also been divested from the charge of West Bengal and Andaman Nicobar.
Joshi, according to party sources, has not yielded performance as required in the states that he was incharge of. The Congress party’s debacle in elections held in NE states and factionalism that surfaced in Bihar proved costly for Joshi. Post these events he was removed from Bihar. It was also learnt that former state party president in Bihar, Ashok Choudhary left Congress due to differences with Joshi, which made the party high command relieve him from Bihar, where Congress is struggling for a revival.
Hardly a couple of weeks passed since Bihar loss, Joshi was then asked to quit West Bengal and Andaman Nicobar too. “Congress president Rahul Gandhi has appointed Gaurav Gogoi as AICC in charge for West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar with immediate effect. The party appreciates the hard work and contribution of CP Joshi, who will be stepping down from his responsibility as AICC general secretary in-charge for West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar,” said a statement undersigned by Gehlot.
In sharp contrast to Joshi, the elevation of Gehlot has not faced any hiccups in last year since Rahul took over the charge of party affairs, first as a vice president and then as president. After robustly improving the tally of Congress seats in Gujarat elections, Gehlot was awarded with the post of organisation general secretary, replacing Janardan Dwivedi, a trusted lieutenant of UPA chief Sonia Gandhi. The former chief minister of Rajasthan continued his performance and played important role in forming alliance government in Karnataka, despite the BJP emerging as single largest party. Infact, Gehlot’s strategic intervention reduced any chances of repetition of Goa, Manipur fiascos which the Congress had been worried about. Thus it would not be wrong to say that Gehlot currently has replaced Joshi or stronger in Gandhi’s inner circle while latter’s magic seems to be fading.
FAILED TO PERFORM
CP Joshi, according to party sources, has not yielded performance as required in the states that he was incharge of. The Congress party’s debacle in elections held in NE states and factionalism that surfaced in Bihar proved costly for Joshi. Post these events he was removed from Bihar. It was also learnt that former state party president in Bihar, Ashok Choudhary left Congress due to differences with Joshi, which made the party high command relieve him from Bihar, where Congress is struggling for a revival.
THE EXCEPTION
The talks are that Rahul Gandhi is working to make party’s organisation ‘young’ by pushing young faces. As Joshi is an old guard and above all his performance was not upto the mark, he is thus being relieved of his burden. Gehlot, however, is an exception as he not only performed well but created history and turned Congress fortunes in Gujarat and Karnataka. The Congress also formed government in Punjab where Gehlot was head of screening committee for ticket distribution.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ashok Gehlot and CP Joshi")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}