Congress president Rahul Gandhi along with Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot (PTI)
Rajasthan Congress on Saturday projected a united face before party chief Rahul Gandhi at the Ramlila grounds in Jaipur where he launched the party's campaign for the assembly polls later this year and exuded confidence of gaining victory.
AICC general secretary and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and the party's state chief Sachin Pilot hugged each on the stage.
After delivering his speech, Mr Gandhi brought both the leaders closer and then they hugged each other thus giving a message of togetherness.
Earlier, in his address, Mr Pilot gave credit to all the senior leaders present on the stage for the victory in bypolls and said that the Congress will contest elections unitedly and will form the government.
"All the party leaders gave their support therefore we won the bypolls. We are ready to face any challenge with the strength of all. Party will contest elections with unity and will form the next government in the state," Mr Pilot said in his address at the Ramlila ground.
On the stage, Mr Pilot was sitting on the right of Mr Gandhi and the seating arrangement of Mr Gehlot was next to AICC general secretary and in charge of party affairs in Rajasthan Avinash Pande, whose chair was on the immediate left of Mr Gandhi but Mr Pande offered his seat to Mr Gehlot and then Mr Gehlot sat on the left of Mr Gandhi and Mr Pilot on Mr Gandhi's right.
Recently, a controversy erupted on chief ministerial face of the party with a former MP Lalchand Kataria giving statement saying Ashok Gehlot should be made CM face to ensure victory in the elections. Mr Gehlot also gave suggestive comments.
After Mr Kataria's statement, AICC general secretary Pande had warned all the leaders to not make such comments.
The Congress had said that the election will be contested in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and the decision on chief ministerial candidate, if the party wins, will be taken after the results of the elections.