Gehlot emerges stronger as Rajasthan crisis blows over

Chief Minister thwarts BJP ‘conspiracy’ to topple his government in Rajasthan.

 

New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot has once again outwitted Bharatiya Janata Party strategists. This is for the second time that the BJP could not succeed in its plan. Before this, Gehlot had turned the tables on the BJP in Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections of 2017. Remember how Ahmed Patel had then won the election by just one vote in what was a nail-biting finish?

Gehlot pulled off this victory at a time when the BJP was in power at the Centre and it was two decades since the Congress was out of power in Gujarat. What was more challenging was that Amit Shah was himself monitoring the entire political exercise. However, Gehlot, by virtue of his political skill, had done it.

This time too, Gehlot managed to keep his flock together and intact, thereby thwarting what was seen as a conspiracy to topple his government in Rajasthan. What made his fight more difficult was that he was facing the challenge from those who were said to be his own people.

Sources said that a plan was afoot to send three dozen MLAs of the Congress to Delhi and from here to an undisclosed location. That’s exactly what had happened in Madhya Pradesh. But Gehlot swung into action and got a probe ordered, sending his legislators to safety. The Congress high command also rushed a team to Jaipur and supported Gehlot in his bid to politically foil the alleged attempt to overthrow his government.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is close to Rahul Gandhi, was sent to Rajasthan as an observer to talk to the disgruntled MLAs. Known as Congress’ “Chanakya”, Gehlot forced BJP on the backfoot. With Gehlot proving his political prowess once again, the Congress has been able to end the crisis before the 19 June Rajya Sabha elections. The Congress will be able to win both the seats. K.C. Venugopal and Neeraj Daangi, who are close to Rahul Gandhi, are the Congress candidates from Rajasthan. Congress has 125 seats and the BJP has 75. To win one seat, 51 votes are needed. This means Congress will easily win both the seats.

Meanwhile, the BJP has tried to hive off Congress votes by fielding Rajendra Gehlot and Rajendra Singh Lakhawat. Madhya Pradesh witnessed the same political upheaval, but Kamal Nath could not rise to the occasion as Gehlot did.

Gehlot has been facing dissent from within the party. When Gehlot raised the issue of horse trading, his own party leaders tried to falsify him. But Gehlot managed the situation. If both the seats go to the Congress, it will add to Gehlot’s political stature.