Gandhis upset over Gehlot's transformation from loyalist to near-rebel, Congress explores more options for party prez

The overnight transformation of Ashok Gehlot from a staunch Gandhi loyalist to a near-rebel has not only surprised the Congress leadership, but has also irked Sonia Gandhi, with reports suggesting that the Rajasthan Chief Minister is now out of the race for the party president, and the party is exploring other options. 

NDTV quoted sources saying that while Gehlot had apologised to central observer Mallikarjun Kharge who was in Jaipur yesterday for the Legislature Party meet, but the Gandhis were upset with the 71-year-old for "humiliating" the Congress.

It is now reported that the Congress leadership is not keen to have Gehlot file the nomination papers for the party president elections, which will be held on October 17. Even if Gehlot wants to go it, many may have made up their mind not to vote for him. 

India Today quoted a senior Congress leader saying that Gehlot is out of the race and other leaders, who will be filing the nominations before September 30, include Mukul Wasnik,  Mallikarjun Kharge, Digvijaya Singh and KC Venugopal. Senior party leader Shashi Tharoor, a G-23 member, was the first to indicate that he will be throwing his hat in the ring. Soon after his name started doing th rounds, Gehlot's name emerged as the Gandhis' choice for the party chief post. 

Handpicked by Indira Gandhi in the 70s, Gehlot has been a loyalist of the Nehru-Gandhi family for the past five decades and has been a go-to person for the high command in almost every crisis situation, the Punjab crisis, or the so-called G-23, or Ghulam Nabi Azad hitting out at the Gandhis. 

Shocked by Gehlot’s adamance, has asked for a written report on the sequence of events in Jaipur by central observers Kharge and Ajay Maken. It is believed that she may taken action some of the MLAs in the Gehlot. 

However, the leadership continues to make a cautious move against the Rajasthan CM, factoring in the pushback and the support of the MLAs that the Gehlot camp has. 

Amid the Congress leadership silently exploring other options for the party chief post, Sonia also reportedly asked former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath to intervene and help resolve the turmoil in Rajasthan. While speculations doing the rounds that he might be considered for the post, he denied to any such possibility. 

The party leadership, is however, said to have taken serious note of the MLAs loyal to Gehlot holding a parallel meeting while while staying away from a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party. 

The Gehlot camp, on the other hand, has shown a clear defiance to the Gandhis' displeasure as Rajasthan minister Shanti Dhariwal launched a frontal attack on Congress' state in-charge Ajay Maken, alleging that he was involved in a conspiracy to remove Ashok Gehlot as chief minister and was canvassing for Sachin Pilot.

With the party's bitter internal feud spilling into the open, Maken, who was sent as a central observer, had earlier in the day criticised MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for placing conditions for the resolution to be taken up in the legislature party meeting on deciding the next CM.

Maken had also said that holding a parallel meeting and not attending the official meeting of the legislature party is "indiscipline".

Soon after Maken briefed Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the national capital about the political developments in the state, Dhariwal, a key Gehlot-loyalist, called a press conference at his residence here and accused party general secretary Maken of acting in a partisan manner.