Attempts are underway for over two years to rock CM Gehlot’s boat in Rajasthan.
NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge will have to take immediate action against those who are trying to destabilise the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan. Lack of action would harm the party in elections.
Undeniably, some Congress leaders have been trying to destabilise the government for quite some time now. Former Rajasthan PCC chief Sachin Pilot is leading this bunch of leaders who are trying to repeat the act of Madhya Pradesh where Congress lost the government.
As a punishment, Pilot had been sacked from posts of PCC chief and Dy Chief Minister by the high command. Despite all this, he continues to make statements against the government in Rajasthan, with the high command looking helpless.
Kharge is aware of all that has been happening. He knows how some youth leaders opened front against veterans leading to weakening of the party. The young leaders versus old guard fight cost the Congress its government in MP where it had gained power after a long lapse of 15 years. Cashing in on these youngsters’ obsession for power, the BJP did not miss any chance to weaken the Congress. There are instances of how several youth Congress leaders switched over to BJP due to greed for power. Pilot and his handful of supporters had to stay back as Operation Lotus could not succeed in Rajasthan. Gehlot had kept his 102 MLAs intact.
Those behind the operation were under the impression that at least around 26 MLAs like in MP would help them in the government toppling game. A big amount of money had also changed hands, which the Gandhi family is also well aware of. But only 16-17 MLAs could reach Gurugram, and as a result Operation Lotus failed. After the apology, these legislators were taken back into the party. But Rahul Gandhi has not yet forgiven them. Who were the leaders who were protecting these rebels? Why is the high command so helpless? Are these leaders so powerful that they could stall Gehlot’s elevation as Congress president which had been green signalled by the leadership? They even dragged the high command in some sort of controversy. So, Kharge is aware of the entire conspiracy to make Rajasthan another Punjab. CM Ashok Gehlot somehow managed the situation. Rajasthan is the only big state where Congress is in power. Rajasthan was again plunged into the situation of 2020. A majority of legislators have already expressed their support for Gehlot twice.
Even as the situation was returning to normal after Rahul Gandhi held meetings with Gehlot and admired his decisions, Pilot again made remarks which were aimed at rocking Gehlot’s boat.
But party’s spokesperson Supriya Shrinate defended Gehlot amidst all the controversy. Now the onus of taking action against such elements is on Kharge. The party chief is well aware about the Congress’ position in election-bound states Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Kharge’s home state Karnataka will go to polls next year. The two power camps are at loggerheads there. So, the only hope of the Congress is with Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. Gehlot’s steps in Rajasthan are popular at the national level. He will present another budget in which several pro-people schemes are likely to be announced. Only Gehlot can benefit from the infighting in the BJP.
Meanwhile, it will be Kamal Nath versus Shivraj Singh Chouhan in MP. If ED actions do not escalate in Chhattisgarh, CM Bhupesh Baghel might stage a come-back. The high command needs to give Gehlot and Baghel a free hand like Kamal Nath, so that the elements working against the party’s interest may be checked.