Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who once emerged as the frontrunner for the Congress president's post, said that he will serve Rajasthan till his last breath, ending all speculations of him serving at the national level in the grand old party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Gehlot made it clear again that he has decided to stay with Rajasthan politics.
"I have resolved to serve Rajasthan till my last breath. So the question of becoming a candidate in Delhi politics will never arise," he added.
Gehlot rejected the possibility that he could himself be the PM candidate in 2024 if the Congress wins Rajasthan Assembly polls this year.
Gehlot said he will fight the Rajasthan polls on the basis of his work.
Gehlot confident that Congress will win Rajasthan polls
The chief minister also expressed confidence that the Congress will win the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
He said those considered as BJP vote banks have also started saying that the Congress would once again form the government in Rajasthan.
"Members of the families who have traditionally been the supporters of the BJP are now saying that the government will repeat in Rajasthan," he claimed.
Gehlot also lashed out at the BJP leaders in Rajasthan, saying they were not following the traditions which the leaders in the past had set. He said by commenting on injuries in his feet, the BJP leaders were just downsizing their stature.
Gehlot said the BJP leaders were touching new lows every day through their statements.
Rahul Gandhi is Congress' Prime Ministerial face, says Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said Rahul Gandhi is the prime ministerial face of the Congress and the only leader in the country who can take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"For us, Rahul Gandhi is the PM face. Rest is up to the high command," the Congress leader told reporters.
"We will see what happens further," he added.
Gehlot said this has been the situation since the time when Gandhi was the party president.
The CM was reminded that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge recently indicated that the party is not interested in the PM's post, but in opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Gehlot said he doesn't know what was discussed among the opposition leaders and Kharge might be right.
But he added, "People of this country and Congressmen know that if there is someone in competition with Modi, it's Rahul Gandhi.
ALSO READ | How can Rahul Gandhi re-enter Parliament after Supreme Court's verdict? Here's the procedure
ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi gets relief from Supreme Court in Modi surname case after defamation conviction put on hold
