‘Gehlot is currently going through uncertainty over whether he will be allowed to continue as CM or not’.
NEW DELHI: After Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot displayed his resistance against the high command’s wish for him to resign from his current executive position and take the AICC’s top post, the distance between him and the Gandhis seems to be growing.
Party leaders close to Gehlot suggest that the relationship has been affected as it was the first time that Gehlot had gone against them in full swing. Sources privy to developments within the party claim that Gehlot, who is currently going through uncertainty over whether he will be allowed to continue as the Chief Minister or not, is playing pressure tactics in order to get a statement declared by the high command that he will continue as the CM in the state. He wants to put at rest speculation that Sachin Pilot could soon be made the CM, which in a way will reduce people joining the ranks of Pilot or at least hamper leaders who are sympathising with him for their political benefits. And that would gradually reduce Pilot’s influence among MLAs by some degree.
However, it is being assessed by the leadership close to Gandhis that he may continue as CM in the state. Ashok Kumar Saini, General secretary RPCC, said, “The Pilot camp saying that he should be given the opportunity is good, he is a young leader, but the change is unlikely because it could give rise to a Punjab-like loss in the state.”
Furthermore, he also said that Gehlot is doing quite a fine job. “And Mr Gehlot cannot do anything on his own. It is Congress that has given its blessings which carry us through,” he said.
A section of Congress leaders also believe that since there has been no efforts from both sides on reconciliation, if this situation continues, Gehlot would take his own course as is being seen recently when he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There is also a buzz among state leaders that if Gehlot loses the coming elections, it would be the Gehlot government that will fall and not the Congress government. While some analysts believe that the crisis-like situation invoked recently by Gehlot could have been a well thought-out process played out by him to show his political power to increase his acceptance within the party, others have been emphasising that he was too impulsive and, therefore, miscalculated his whole venture. A political expert based in Rajasthan said, “Now Gehlot is just trying to save his government by giving statements by praising Mr Modi and it has nothing to do with his party; he is now coming out on his own as he may be getting less importance from the top leadership.”
Another political analyst said, “It is better for the party not to declare anything until the padh yatra is over which will start from 3 December in the state; people from both the camps will participate to vehemently show support for the party and if a decision is taken, it would benefit one of the two camps and thereby trigger an uncertain situation.”