Rajasthan
Rajasthan Congress hints MLA resignations behind Mahesh Joshi’s exit as chief whip | Jaipur News
JAIPUR: Congress doubled down on “indiscipline” in the Rajasthan unit, with state in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa suggesting Saturday that PHE minister Mahesh Joshi was made to resign as the party’s chief whip in the assembly because of his role in a leadership tussle when CM Ashok Gehlot decided to run for the party presidency last September.
“The action is also the reason for the resignation. There are also two posts. Further action will be taken in this matter,” Randhawa said in Jaipur.
CM Gehlot accepted Joshi’s resignation Friday, which the party said was done at the high command’s order to keep with its “one man, one post” policy. Randhawa also acknowledged that.
The resignation of Joshi, the CM’s confidante, had set off a buzz in political circles that he was chastised by the high command for an aborted CLP meeting on September 25 last year to choose Gehlot’s successor in case he was elected Congress president. Gehlot withdrew from the race, though.
“This matter is from before my appointment. In such a situation, I will follow whatever instructions the high command gives me. I will not send any report in this matter, but if the high command asks me to take any action, I will do so with immediate effect. I have done what the high command had asked me to do,” Randhawa said.
Joshi is one of the three Congress functionaries to whom the party served notices for alleged “grave indiscipline” for holding a parallel CLP meeting that day and 81 MLAs sending their resignation to the Speaker. The MLAs later took back their resignation.
Former deputy CM Sachin Pilot, who had once revolted against Gehlot, is said to be unhappy over the high command’s inaction against those who had put pressure on the MLAs to resign.
Joshi was quick in his response to Randhawa’s remarks, saying the high command should take action against the Pilot camp as well. “Randhawa considered it as part of the action. I am happy that the action has been taken. My wish has been fulfilled. I am waiting for action against those who tried to weaken the party and government, so that workers know everyone’s treated equally,” he said.
Joshi had said he resigned before the assembly sat for its budget session, though the CM accepted it Friday.
Sources said Congress is trying to strike a balance between the two camps. “To make the rival camp happy, Joshi was asked to resign from one post, and it was declared action was taken against him. So far, no action is taken against minister Shanti Dhariwal and RTDC president Dharmendra Rathod, who got show-cause notices too,” a source said.
“The action is also the reason for the resignation. There are also two posts. Further action will be taken in this matter,” Randhawa said in Jaipur.
CM Gehlot accepted Joshi’s resignation Friday, which the party said was done at the high command’s order to keep with its “one man, one post” policy. Randhawa also acknowledged that.
The resignation of Joshi, the CM’s confidante, had set off a buzz in political circles that he was chastised by the high command for an aborted CLP meeting on September 25 last year to choose Gehlot’s successor in case he was elected Congress president. Gehlot withdrew from the race, though.
“This matter is from before my appointment. In such a situation, I will follow whatever instructions the high command gives me. I will not send any report in this matter, but if the high command asks me to take any action, I will do so with immediate effect. I have done what the high command had asked me to do,” Randhawa said.
Joshi is one of the three Congress functionaries to whom the party served notices for alleged “grave indiscipline” for holding a parallel CLP meeting that day and 81 MLAs sending their resignation to the Speaker. The MLAs later took back their resignation.
Former deputy CM Sachin Pilot, who had once revolted against Gehlot, is said to be unhappy over the high command’s inaction against those who had put pressure on the MLAs to resign.
Joshi was quick in his response to Randhawa’s remarks, saying the high command should take action against the Pilot camp as well. “Randhawa considered it as part of the action. I am happy that the action has been taken. My wish has been fulfilled. I am waiting for action against those who tried to weaken the party and government, so that workers know everyone’s treated equally,” he said.
Joshi had said he resigned before the assembly sat for its budget session, though the CM accepted it Friday.
Sources said Congress is trying to strike a balance between the two camps. “To make the rival camp happy, Joshi was asked to resign from one post, and it was declared action was taken against him. So far, no action is taken against minister Shanti Dhariwal and RTDC president Dharmendra Rathod, who got show-cause notices too,” a source said.
