Gehlot to be penalised over 'conflict of interest'? Will Pilot be the new CM?: Top updates on Rajasthan Congress crisis

The political turmoil in Rajasthan over leadership change escalated on Monday with 82 MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who submitted their resignation on Sunday night, remaining non-committal on holding a meeting with Congress observers, who are likely to return to Delhi to apprise the high command about the developments.

Meanwhile, the party high command is said to be upset with Gehlot over the crisis that has unfolded in Rajasthan. Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken slammed MLAs loyal to Gehlot for setting conditions for a party resolution, terming it a "conflict of interest", and said their decision to hold a parallel meeting amounted to indiscipline.

It is reported that the Congress panel has recommended the party high command to pull Gehlot out of the race of of party chief. Gandhis are reportedly upset at Ashok Gehlot flexing his MLAs and "humiliating" the Congress. Gehlot is to file his nomination papers for the October 17 Congress president election tomorrow. 

Here are the top updates on the big story: 

Kamal Nath likely to step in to diffuse crisis

Congress leadership is likely to pitch in former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath to resolve the political crisis in Rajasthan -- one of the two states ruled by the Grand Old Party. 

Maken, who was in Jaipur along with Mallikarjun Kharge to convene the CLP meeting for deciding on a new CM face, told media that three members from the Gehlot camp had met them with as many proposals, which had to be turned down to avoid conflicts of interests.

Shanti Dhariwal, Mahesh Joshi and Pratap Khachriyawas, representing the Gehlot group, visited him on Sunday night with three proposals and said "a strict no" for Sachin Pilot as the new CM, Maken said.

"Their first proposal said that if you want to pass a resolution, then the Congress high command should take a final decision, then pass it after October 19 (counting of votes for party presidential poll).

"We told them that this raises conflict of interest, as if Gehlot is elected as the Congress president then this proposal will empower him further after October 19 and there can be no bigger conflict of interest than this.

"Secondly, when we told them that we wanted to talk to each of them in person, they insisted on talking in groups. We categorically told them that it has been the Congress practice to take feedback from each leader, but they stood their ground on coming in groups besides saying `you will have to publicly announce this`.

"Thirdly, they said that the CM should be picked from the 102 MLAs who were loyal during the rebellion, and not from the Pilot group," Maken said.

Hectic parleys ahead

82 MLAs from the Gehlot camp are likely to meet today to decide the next course of action. The Congress has 108 MLAs in the House of 200. 

Meanwhile, Congress leader KC Venugopal is likely to meet the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi at around 3 pm today. Venugopal was sent to Delhi from Kerala by Rahul Gandhi after a discussion with the party's leaders. Rahul Gandhi is currently in Kerala leading the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken, who had waited in vain for all legislators to arrive for the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Sunday, were trying to persuade Gehlot loyalists to meet them one by one in an effort to defuse the political crisis. However, several MLAs have left for their respective constituencies in view of Navratri festival, the party sources said.

When asked whether the MLAs will meet the observers on Monday, Lodha said, whatever message has to be conveyed has been conveyed. He said 82 legislators had given resignation letters to the Speaker.

Will CP Joshi win in this two-horse race?

As over 90 Congress and Independent MLAs supporting Gehlot continue to arm twist the party high command into not taking a decision to elevate Sachin Pilot to the CM post, it is believed that Speaker C P Joshi, another Gehlot loyalist, might emerge as the third runner in the race. 

With the party leadership finding it difficult to diffuse the power tussle between Gehlot and Pilot, Joshi might emerge as a feasible choice for the replacement CM.

How the crisis unfolded?

Gehlot, seen by many as a reluctant candidate for the top party position, initially appeared unwilling to give up his CM's post. Later, it was speculated that he would rather see Joshi --- or anyone else --- as CM rather than Pilot, who had rebelled against his leadership.

Gehlot had told reporters in Jaisalmer that the MLAs would pass a one-line resolution at the CLP meeting calling upon party president Sonia Gandhi to pick his successor. But the MLAs seemed to go off script.

Before setting off for Joshi's home, some Gehlot loyalists had said the next CM should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the 2020 crisis and not anyone involved in the bid to topple it, a veiled reference to Pilot.

"We are going to the Speaker's residence and will submit our resignation," Khachariyawas had told reporters.

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 CM, the party will face problems in winning the next Assembly elections.

"If a decision is not taken keeping the MLAs' sentiments in mind, the government will be in danger," independent legislator and advisor to the chief minister Lodha had said.

Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads over the chief minister's post soon after the Congress won the Assembly elections in December 2018.

The high command then chose Gehlot as the chief minister for the third time while Pilot was made his deputy. In July 2020, Pilot along with 18 party MLAs rebelled against Gehlot's leadership.