Ashok Gehlot May Be The Choice For Top Post in Rajasthan
JAIPUR/ NEW DELHI : Vasundhara Raje, the incumbent Chief Minister of Rajasthan, on Tuesday resigned from her post taking moral responsibility of her party’s defeat at the hands of Congress in the hard-fought assembly elections 2018 in Rajasthan. She also expressed hope that the new government will work in the best interest of people of Rajasthan.
Newly-elected Congress MLAs will meet on Wednesday to take a decision on who will be the next chief minister of Rajasthan. Earlier, Rashtriya Lok Dal extended support to Congress to form the next government in Rajasthan where assembly elections 2018 were held on December 7.
National vice president of the RLD Jayant Chaudhary issued a letter of support to Congress “respecting the mandate of the people in Rajasthan.” After the party’s impressive show in Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018, the Congress party initiated talks with Independents and like-minded parties seeking their support.
Three-time chief minister Ashok Gehlot drove to his younger colleague and state Congress chief Sachin Pilot’s home. Then the two posed for photos, their fingers splayed in a victory sign.The trends showed a 101-72 margin on Tuesday, the win against the BJP is not as emphatic as the Congress would have wished. That meant less room for compromise in the simmering power struggle.
Sources say Ashok Gehlot has emerged front-runner, not least because of the upcoming national election and the party’s slim margin in Rajasthan, which means Sachin Pilot – despite being a favourite of the leadership and leading the party for five years in the state – has to step aside.Ashok Gehlot is known for his deft political management and ability to keep the flock together. The son of a magician, Mr Gehlot has “tricks up his sleeve”, as his colleagues often joke.
“Congress legislature party meeting will be held at 11 am on Wednesday in which the elected MLAs of the party will pass a resolution. The observer will seek individual opinion of the MLAs,” Congress leader Avinash Pande said in Jaipur.
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that the party has invited the winning Independent candidates to join them in process of government formation. Congress party has comfortably crossed the half-way mark after taking a massive lead in Rajasthan since the counting of votes for December 7 assembly elections 2018 began for 199 out of 200 seats amid unprecedented security on Tuesday.
When quizzed to comment who will be the next chief minister of Rajasthan, Gehlot said that the final call in this regard will be taken by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Earlier, Congress state unit chief Sachin Pilot said that the results are a gift for party president Rahul Gandhi. By sweeping the crucial elections in Rajasthan, the Grand Old Party, which fought assembly elections under the leadership of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and its state unit chief Sachin Pilot, has shattered BJP leader and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s dream of securing a second consecutive term in office.
A strong ”anti-incumbency” wave against the Vashundhra Raje government and the growing disenchantment among the Rajputs and Jats towards the ruling party is believed to have played a spoilsport for the BJP in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, widespread celebrations have begun in the Congress camp with the party workers bursting crackers and distributing sweets in parts of Rajasthan and in other states. (With Inputs From Agencies).
