Rajasthan
CM face projected by party in Rajasthan never got the chair: Ashok Gehlot | Jaipur News
JAIPUR: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday contended that the CM face projected by the party in the state had never made it to the chair after the polls in the past. He made the remarks while addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday.
Citing his own example in the 1998 assembly polls, he said there were many Congress stalwarts in the fray in the run-up to the polls, but finally he became the CM as an underdog.
Similarly, veteran Congressman and leader of opposition Parasram Maderna was the favourite for the CM’s post in the 1998 elections, but the party high command favoured him who was then the PCC president.
“When Sonia Gandhi became party president, the first decision she took was to make me the CM. I was not a CM candidate, and in Congress, it is good not to be the favoured candidate as those whose names do the rounds have never become the CM,” Gehlot said. The party’s recent history in the state makes good his claim.
In 2008, the then PCC president, Dr CP Joshi, who was a front-runner for the CM’s post, lost the election by a single vote from Nathdwara, and, finally, Gehlot became the CM for a second time.
‘BJP shouldn’t punish Raje because of me’
Similarly, in 2018, though the then PCC president, Sachin Pilot, was the favourite, Gehlot walked away again with the top job for a third time.
He also claimed that he had never aspired for any post. “How many chief ministers in the country have the courage to say that they want to leave the post, but the post is not leaving them. Even today, I am saying the same. I want to leave this post, but the post is not leaving me, and probably may not leave me in future,” he said.
Asked about differences within the party over ticket distribution, he said, “There are no differences whatsoever. All decisions have been taken unanimously.”
“Opposition BJP is upset as to why there are no fights happening in our ranks. All decisions are being made after taking into account everyone’s opinion. I am a participant in the decisions taken in favour of Pilot’s supporters,” the CM said.
Taking a swipe at BJP, he said it should not “punish” his predecessor Vasundhara Raje because of his earlier remarks highlighting her positive role in not supporting the bid to topple his government in 2020. In May, Gehlot had said that he survived the rebellion by Congress MLAs because of BJP leaders such as Raje and Kailash Meghwal who did not support a “conspiracy to topple” his government through money power.
He said that Rahul Gandhi was the only leader fighting PM Modi and, hence, it was the duty of all to strengthen his hands. He also criticised ED and I-T raids against opposition leaders and sought PM’s intervention in stopping these.
Citing his own example in the 1998 assembly polls, he said there were many Congress stalwarts in the fray in the run-up to the polls, but finally he became the CM as an underdog.
Similarly, veteran Congressman and leader of opposition Parasram Maderna was the favourite for the CM’s post in the 1998 elections, but the party high command favoured him who was then the PCC president.
“When Sonia Gandhi became party president, the first decision she took was to make me the CM. I was not a CM candidate, and in Congress, it is good not to be the favoured candidate as those whose names do the rounds have never become the CM,” Gehlot said. The party’s recent history in the state makes good his claim.
In 2008, the then PCC president, Dr CP Joshi, who was a front-runner for the CM’s post, lost the election by a single vote from Nathdwara, and, finally, Gehlot became the CM for a second time.
‘BJP shouldn’t punish Raje because of me’
Similarly, in 2018, though the then PCC president, Sachin Pilot, was the favourite, Gehlot walked away again with the top job for a third time.
He also claimed that he had never aspired for any post. “How many chief ministers in the country have the courage to say that they want to leave the post, but the post is not leaving them. Even today, I am saying the same. I want to leave this post, but the post is not leaving me, and probably may not leave me in future,” he said.
Asked about differences within the party over ticket distribution, he said, “There are no differences whatsoever. All decisions have been taken unanimously.”
“Opposition BJP is upset as to why there are no fights happening in our ranks. All decisions are being made after taking into account everyone’s opinion. I am a participant in the decisions taken in favour of Pilot’s supporters,” the CM said.
Taking a swipe at BJP, he said it should not “punish” his predecessor Vasundhara Raje because of his earlier remarks highlighting her positive role in not supporting the bid to topple his government in 2020. In May, Gehlot had said that he survived the rebellion by Congress MLAs because of BJP leaders such as Raje and Kailash Meghwal who did not support a “conspiracy to topple” his government through money power.
He said that Rahul Gandhi was the only leader fighting PM Modi and, hence, it was the duty of all to strengthen his hands. He also criticised ED and I-T raids against opposition leaders and sought PM’s intervention in stopping these.
