Ashok Gehlot tipped to be new chief minister of Rajasthan

Jaipur:  Congress national president Rahul Gandhi is all set to appoint Ashok Gehlot as the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan. It followed a high tension drama in Delhi where both the top candidates for the chief ministerial post – Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot – met Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence and put forth their claims for the top post.

Read also: Winners and losers in Rajasthan elections 2018: All you need to know

Congress general secretary in charge of Rajasthan Avinash Pande and senior leader K. C. Venugopal discussed with all the MLAs about the likely candidate for the chief ministerial post in a meeting and after considering all the suggestions the party took the decision.

Here is how the drama over the selection of new chief minister of Rajasthan unfolded over the past two days:

• The meeting between Congress officials including Avinash Pande, KC Venugopal, and newly elected Congress MLAs started at 11 am in PCC in Jaipur and continued till late evening on Wednesday.
• MLAs passed a single line resolution authorizing Congress president Rahul Gandhi to appoint the chief minister on Wednesday.
• The Congress officials met Governor Kalyan Singh to stake the claim on forming the government at 7 pm on Wednesday.
• All India Congress Committee observer KC Venugopal reached Rahul Gandhi’s residence in Delhi on Thursday morning with the party’s suggestions for next PM. Priyanka Gandhi also reached at Rahul Gandhi’s resident on Thursday.
• Congress President conducted a meeting at his residence on Thursday morning with Congress officials including Avinash Pande and KC Venugopal
• Rahul Gandhi met Sachin pilot and Ashok Gehlot on Thursday.

The fight for the top post was between senior leader and former CM Ashok Gehlot and PCC chief Sachin Pilot. Both the candidates have won the assembly elections 2018 from Sardarpura and Tonk respectively.

The Congress workers and supporters were divided into two sections. One section was demanding that PCC chief Sachin Pilot be appointed as new Rajasthan CM, while other section wanted to see Ashok Gehlot as the chief minister.

According to Pilot supporters, Rahul Gandhi promised to empower youths before the assembly elections. He should make Pilot as the next CM of Rajasthan, they demanded. The other fraction was saying that the experience should be given a priority.

Sources said that national president Rahul Gandhi already made up his mind about who will be the chief minister, after the party’s win; however, opinions were sought from all the elected MLAs in the meeting on Wednesday morning.