"Want To Focus On Madhya Pradesh": Kamal Nath On Congress Top Job

Congress leader Kamal Nath today said he not interested in running for party president but that he has told Sonia Gandhi he is ready to mediate in the Rajasthan crisis spurred by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's possible elevation to the party's top post.

Kamal Nath also said he believed "three-four people" were guilty of indiscipline, referring to the rebellion by Ashok Gehlot's loyalists over reports that his bitter rival Sachin Pilot could replace him as Rajasthan Chief Minister.

"There was indiscipline by three-four people. Our leaders gave a report to Sonia Gandhi," Kamal Nath told reporters a day after his meeting with the interim chief.

The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, who lost power in 2020 after Jyotiraditya Scindia exited the party with 22 MLAs, dismissed the suggestion that Sachin Pilot is to the Congress in Rajasthan what Mr Scindia was in Madhya Pradesh.

"What about Scindia," he shot back.

Sachin Pilot "didn't do anything", Kamal Nath said. "He was called for a meeting and he went," he added.

The Congress has issued notice to three Ashok Gehlot loyalists - Shanti Dhariwal, Mahesh Joshi and Dharmendra Rathore - for allegedly planning the revolt by more than 90 Rajasthan MLA, who threatened mass resignation if Sachin Pilot replaced Mr Gehlot.

The rebellion upset the Gandhis and for hours, there was strong speculation that Ashok Gehlot was out of the race for Congress president. But later two Congress leaders reached out to Mr Gehlot after meeting with Sonia Gandhi.

Kamal Nath refused to comment on Ashok Gehlot. "Both Pilot and Gehlot are my friends. I won't get into this.

The veteran leader said he had urged Rahul Gandhi to return as Congress president. "I had told him you come back, put an end to all this. But he said no."

On whether he could contest the Congress president election, Kamal Nath said: "I don't want to remove my focus from Madhya Pradesh. The elections are next year. I don't want to interfere or get involved in this. It will take up a whole month."