Old guards dropped to give seats to Sachin Pilot’s crew

No inclusion of senior most leaders in Gehlot cabinet has caused discontent among them. Many of them even openly ‘boycotted’ the oath ceremony of the cabinet showing their discontent that could affect the party’s fortune in coming time. Since the brains of senior party leaders stormed on possible cabinet names of Jitendra Singh, Mahendrajeet Malviya, Hemaram Choudhary, Rajendra Pareek and Bharat Singh Kunnar, former Rajasthan assembly speaker Dipendra Singh Shekhawat and ex Rajasthan housing Chairman Parasram Mordia were also the probable due to caste and regional factors.

These are experienced leaders who worked with Gehlot in his second tenure as CM. The old team was almost set to make a come back, albeit a power-sharing formula between Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot shattered all their dreams. The formula promulgated has brought induction of 18 out of 23 MLAs who became ministers for the first time. More or less Pilot and Gehlot camps have shared equal number in the cabinet and in the exercise, the Gehlot’s ‘old’ team was put on the back burner.

It has been learned that Gehlot had stressed on induction of his core team but Pilot wished to bring new or say younger faces in the cabinet to give a message ahead of Lok Sabha election. The exclusion of the senior most leaders may bring adverse fortunes to the party, though as it reflected on the first day of cabinet expansion. CP Joshi, Hemaram Choudhary, Malviya, Pareek, Parasram Mordia, Deependra Singh and Bharat Singh were absent from the ceremony, dropping a ‘clear’ message. Their supporters also shared anguish on social media criticizing the party’s decision.

The party sources claim that they have been kept ‘reserved’ under a strategy being sketched for Lok Sabha election slated in April- May. They could be given MP ticket in order to improve tally of the seats. The party is working on Mission 25 seats. Even Gehlot has claimed that the party would win over 20 seats, but the strategy comes with a risk factor. If the senior leaders, who are in half dozen, contest and win the election, then the party will have to face assembly election in a situation of vacating MLA seat. Congress edges on 99 figure, one less to majority mark, and depends wholly on the support of BSP, other ally parties and few independent MLAs. Meanwhile, the party will try utmost to appease a couple of leaders. It has been learned that CP Joshi, who was CM contender in 2008 may be accommodated as the speaker. Bharat Singh Kundarpur may also get either speaker or deputy speaker post.

Almost There! 

CP Joshi, the CM candidate in 2008, lost from Nathdwara by just one vote. He was given space in the Centre but couldn’t find a spot in the state cabinet this time.

Deependra Singh Shekhawat served as the speaker of the assembly in the last Ashok Gehlot government. He didn’t attend the oath-taking ceremony. 

One of the prominent members in previous Gehlot government, Bharat Singh Kundanpur, didn’t find any space in the cabinet this time.