Rajasthan polls: Ashok Gehlot keeps people in haze about next CM

The game has not begun, said ex-Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot when asked who is sitting on the hot seat of KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepati) which he recently compared with Kaun Banega Mukhyamantri.

Gehlot also took a pot shot at chief minister Vasundhara Raje for misrule and corruption and referring to violations of the model of conduct in Bhamashah scheme urged the election authorities to look into the matter.

Gehlot, who moved to New Delhi to look after affairs of the party, caused a storm in the state politics with his tweaked remarks. Recently when he was holding a press conference in New Delhi on BJP legislator Manvendra Singh joining the Congress, the two-time CM, replying to a question on who would be CM in Rajasthan, said that "Kaun Banega Crorepati pahle se pata chalta he kya?"

On Monday when he was holding a press conference at his residence in Jaipur, a scribe asked who is sitting on the hot seat of the game, the magician-cum-politicians quipped in the way he is known for. Not giving an exact reply to the query, Gehlot added that let the game begin.

"Abhi toh game hi shuru hi nahi hua he, jabe hoga tam bata denge (the game has not begun so far, when it will start we will tell who will be the CM), said Gehlot. The CM face is the top topic in the inner circle of the party and the leaders are divided between PCC chief Sachin Pilot and Gehlot camps who want their leaders to be crowned as the CM.

The party high command faced a severe friction two months ago when a section of leaders including former union minister Lal Chand Kataria openly advocated Gehlot to be projected as the CM, or else the party would suffer in the poll battle. Party president Rahul Gandhi, who is well aware of the 'crisis', is trying hard to show the party united.

CRITICISM

Gehlot took a pot shot at chief minister Vasundhara Raje for misrule and corruption and referring to violations of the model of conduct in Bhamashah scheme urged the election authorities to look into the matter.