In Congress meet on Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi says 'BJP can be defeated, if...'
Rajasthan is among the five states that will go to assembly elections later this year. Congress facing an infighting led by CM Gehlot and his former deputy Pilot.
Rajasthan Congress: The top Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief Rahul Gandhi, held a crucial meeting with the Rajasthan leaders to discuss the poll strategy and preparedness as the Assembly elections are due in the state later this year. The agenda of the meeting was also to resolve the tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and party leader Sachin Pilot.
We will contest the assembly election together under collective leadership, said Pilot and Gehlot in a joint statement after the meeting.
Pilot said that the party president has told him that what has passed has passed now focus on the road ahead and whatever the party high command says is acceptable.
Sources said Pilot may get a bigger responsibility in the state organisation.
What Rahul Gandhi said
Gandhi said at the meeting that BJP can be defeated if we contest the election unitedly. Tell me whenever my support is required, he asserted. Gandhi tried to convince the warring sides saying Congress can retain power if party leaders remained united.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC in-charge of state Sukhjinder Randhawa and several Rajasthan cabinet ministers were present in the meeting. Sachin Pilot was also present at the meeting, however, CM Ashok Gehlot, who is recovering from fractures in both his toes, made his presence virtually.
Congress will unite and go among people in upcoming elections
Kharge posted a video from the meeting on Twitter and said that with public service, relief and upliftment of all, Rajasthan was on the path of progress. He further said that the Congress party has taken the schemes of inclusive development and public welfare to every household in Rajasthan.
“Public service, relief and upliftment of all, Rajasthan growing on the path of progress. The Congress party has taken the schemes of inclusive development and public welfare to every house in Rajasthan. The party will unite and go among the public in the upcoming elections. Every section of Rajasthan - farmers, farm labourers, youth, women and every section of the society is expressing its faith in the Congress party. We will take care of everyone's aspirations. Both the present and future of Rajasthan are safe in the hands of Congress. History will change this time,” Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.
Congress will once again form the government in Rajasthan
Following the meeting, in a Facebook post in Hindi, Rhaul Gandhi said exude confidence that the Congress will once again form the government in Rajasthan and will continue to work for a better future of the people. “Had a meeting with Rajasthan Congress leaders today under the leadership of Congress President, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge. Congress will once again form the government in Rajasthan and will continue to work for the better future of the people,” Gandhi said in a post.
According to the sources, Sachin Pilot is not too keen to have any role at AICC as he wants a role in Rajasthan politics only. He wants a role in which he could have a say in the ticket distribution for upcoming assembly elections. However, his supporters believe that he should be made the Party President of the state again.
Sachin Pilot also wants action on all his three demands, however, the CM so far is not very forthcoming on those demands. The central leadership wants to resolve it as soon as possible so that the party starts preparing for the next assembly elections and contest the next election unitedly.
Gehlot and Pilot have been at loggerheads over the chief minister's post ever since the Congress formed the government in Rajasthan in December 2018. Their simmering tussle for power came out in public in July 2020, when Pilot led a failed rebellion in the party for a change in leadership in the state. In a bid to defuse the tensions, Congress chief Kharge and Gandhi had held marathon discussions with Gehlot and Pilot separately in May. They had later posed for photographs at Kharge's 10 Rajaji Marg residence in Delhi.