Ashok Gehlot says won't contest Congress polls, takes moral responsibility for Rajasthan rebellion

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said he won't contest the Congress party's presidential elections. He also took the moral responsibility for the rebellion by the party's MLAs in the state against Sachin Pilot. 

Over 80 MLAs had threatened to resign if Sachin Pilot was made the chief minister of Rajasthan. This was after the party leadership said everybody would have to follow the 'one person, one post' rule, implying Gehlot would have to relinquish the coveted post if he became the Congress chief. 

Gehlot, who has had a frosty relationship with Pilot, said he had no role in the rebels' act. 

"I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight in the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I will contest but now with that incident, I have decided not to contest the elections," Gehlot said after meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi. 

"One-line resolution is our tradition. Unfortunately, a situation arose that resolution wasn't passed. It was my moral responsibility, but despite being a CM I couldn't get the resolution passed," Gehlot added. 

Earlier today, Gehlot said that he was hurt by the developments in Rajasthan. 

Gandhi also met party leader K C Venugopal while Mukul Wasnik met Gehlot in Jodhpur House.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh took his nomination form from the party's Central Election Authority. 

Shashi Tharoor will also file the nomination for the elections. 

With inputs from IANS