At least 90 MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot submitted their resignation letters over a possible move to appoint Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot as the next Chief Minister. The political crisis unfolded ahead of the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting as Gehlot plans to file a nomination for the Congress president's post.

The MLAs refused to meet AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday.

"We have submitted our resignation and are now going home. The MLAs want that any decision on the chief minister should be taken only after the election of the party's national president," minister Govind Ram Meghwal said.

The loyalists said the views of MLAs should be taken into account. "Later, whatever decision taken by the high command will be accepted," independent MLA Babulal Nagar said.

Gehlot loyalists claimed that over 90 MLAs went to Speaker CP Joshi's residence. However, the number could not be verified independently. They were said to be upset over the buzz that rebel Sachin Pilot may succeed Gehlot as chief minister if he becomes the party’s national president.

MLAs' 3-point agenda:

Choose a chief ministerial face from the 102 MLAs who were loyal to the Congress party in June 2020 when there was an attempt to topple the government

The CM candidate should only be declared after October 18

Ashok Gehlot's choice should be taken into consideration

The Legislature Party meeting has been now postponed to October 19 and will be held after the Congress Presidential Elections. As of now, Congress has 108 MLAs in the House of 200. There was no word from the Speaker's office on the resignation letters.

Amid the chaos, Ajay Maken said, "We aren’t going to Delhi at the moment. We have been instructed by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to conduct one-to-one talks with Rajasthan Congress MLAs. We’ll meet them tonight."

How the situation unfolded

The CLP meeting, which was called to decide on the chief minister’s successor, was seen as a crucial step ahead of Gehlot filing his nomination for the Congress president's post. Speculation was rife that the former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot will take his place in the state.

Earlier in the day, Gehlot told reporters in Jaisalmer that the MLAs would pass a one-line resolution at the CLP meeting calling upon party president Sonia Gandhi to pick his successor. However, the crucial meet was aborted.

Late Sunday, a large group of MLAs reached the Speaker's home. Before setting off for Joshi's home, some Gehlot loyalists said in a veiled reference to Sachin Pilot that the next chief minister should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the 2020 crisis and not anyone involved in the bid to topple it.

Govind Ram Meghwal, a Congress leader, said Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party's national president. He said if Gehlot does not remain CM, the party will face problems in winning the next Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, at the chief minister's residence, a smaller group - that reportedly included Gehlot, Pilot and some of his loyalists, Kharge and Maken - was believed to be in a huddle.

According to a report in The Hindu, Pilot’s supporters dismissed the entire episode as "pressure tactics".

Ashok Gehlot says ‘nothing in my hands

Amid buzz over the change of guard in the state, Ashok Gehlot reportedly held a telephonic conversation with Congress general secretary KC Venugopal. "Nothing is in my hands. The MLAs are angry," he said over the phone.

What happened in 2020

In July 2020, Sachin Pilot, along with 18 party MLAs, had rebelled against Ashok Gehlot's leadership in Rajasthan. Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads over the chief minister's post soon after the Congress won the assembly elections in December 2018. The high command then chose Gehlot as the chief minister for the third time while Pilot was made his deputy.

(Edited by : Priyanka Rathi)

First Published:Sept 26, 2022 9:09 AM IST