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Ashok Gehlot will be the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan, said the Congress party on Friday. Sachin Pilot will be the deputy CM, the grand old party added. Two-time Chief Minister Gehlot will now take the reins of the state for the third time.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a series of meetings with both Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot throughout the day on Thursday. He even held discussions with sister Priyanka Vadra and mother Sonia Gandhi as the battle between experience and youth intensified. Ashok Gehlot, who tried to fly to Jaipur thrice, was called back from Delhi airport. However, the deliberations failed to come to any conclusion. Rahul Gandhi met Pilot and Gehlot again on Friday morning.
At a media briefing, after Congress' observer to the state K C Venugopal made the announcement here, Gehlot thanked Gandhi for giving him an opportunity to serve the people of the state for the third time and promised that he and Pilot will give "good governance".
[ALSO READ] Ashok Gehlot to be Rajasthan CM, Sachin Pilot deputy CM: Congress party
Pilot exuded confidence that Congress' good electoral performance will continue, saying the party will get a big mandate in 2019 polls and form the government.
"In Lok Sabha elections 2019, we will come out with flying colours," said Pilot.
"We will meet the governor today and will decide on the details of the oath-taking ceremony," Venugopal said.
Congress has won 99 seats, one less than the majority mark, and BJP 73 seats in the Assembly elections held on December 7. The party, however, has the backing of its pre-poll ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which won one seat, six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs and a majority of the 13 Independents, who are mostly Congress rebels.
WATCH VIDEO: Congress Officially Announces Ashok Gehlot As Rajasthan CM And Sachin Pilot As Dy-CM
