Rajasthan Congress leader Khiladi Lal Bairwa today urged the party leadership to take all important decisions pertaining to the political crisis in Rajasthan before the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi enters the state in the first week of December.
This comes after Rajasthan Congress in-charge Ajay Maken wrote to party president Mallikarjun Kharge in which he expressed his unwillingness to continue in his post.
Bairwa, who is the party's MLA and Rajasthan SC Commission Chairman, said, "Before Rahul Gandhi's visit to Rajasthan, the party high command should take all important decisions related to Rajasthan."
"All decisions from Chief Minister to changing ministers should be taken before Rahul Gandhi's visit," Bairwa said.
"It is a matter of great misfortune and regrets that our General Secretary in charge has to express his pain in this way. The high command should take cognizance of this matter soon. Maken had given the example of 25th September and that entire episode happened in front of him," he said.
Calling the post of state in charge a form of "high command" in any state, Bairwa said that if he is suffering, then the common people are also suffering in the state.
"The state in charge is the form of high command in any state, if he is suffering like this then common people are also suffering here. Before Rahul Gandhi's visit, I will request the high command, whatever the pending issues of Rajasthan are, please sort them out. Those who talk about blocking the organization, everyone should understand that the government in Rajasthan is ours," he said.
The Congress leader further suggested calling a "one-to-one talk" should be held with the MLAs by calling a with the high command.
"Such a big yatra of Rahul Gandhi is coming in Rajasthan and till now no one has talked to the Congress MLAs after meeting them," he added.
Bairwa suggested that the MLAs should be asked about their problems and their wishes.
"Before Rahul Gandhi's visit, the high command should talk to all the MLAs and ask about their problems. What do the MLAs want? Only one year is left for the Assembly elections and whatever you want to change, change it before the yatra so that next time we can form the government again," he said.
The Congress leader exuded confidence that the Bharat Jodo Yatra will be helpful in bringing the party back the power in the state.
"Rahul Gandhi's yatra will be helpful in bringing back the rule in Rajasthan. Whatever changes have to be made, whether from the chief minister to the ministers, they should do it before the yatra," he said.
Earlier, in a letter to party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Ajay Maken stated that he does not want to continue in his post after the events of September 25.
In his letter dated November 8, Maken said that a new person should be given the responsibility before the Bharat Jodo Yatra enters the state and state assembly by-elections are held.
"I am a soldier of Rahul Gandhi. My family has decades of association with the party," he wrote.
On September 25, on the instructions of the then President Sonia Gandhi, Maken and Kharge went to Jaipur as observers. Then there was a buzz of Ashok Gehlot contesting the election of the Congress President. So, a meeting of the Legislature Party was to be held for the selection of the new Chief Minister, but a rebellious tone was adopted by the Gehlot supporters who opposed the candidature of Sachin Pilot. The meeting could not take place. The high command was miffed with the development in the crisis-hit state.
After this, show-cause notices were issued to three leaders. But even after a long time, no action was taken. Even after Gehlot apologized to Sonia Gandhi, organization general secretary KC Venugopal had said that a decision on Rajasthan Congress will be taken in the next two days. Still, the meeting of the Legislature Party could not be held again.
According to sources, miffed with all the developments, Maken decided to quit the post.
According to sources, the high command is unhappy with the behaviour of Gehlot's supporters, but Gehlot is currently the chief observer of the Gujarat elections. At the same time, he does not want to pose a risk to the Rajasthan government at this time.
In such a situation, the ball is in the court of the same Kharge who himself is the witness to the whole incident.
It is believed that the Rajasthan crisis will be the first major test of Kharge's organizational skills. Now they have to decide how to persuade Gehlot to hand over the command to Sachin or maintain Gehlot by taking care of Sachin. On the other hand, he also faces the challenge of solving the case of 'indiscipline' that took place on September 25.
To add to Kharge's troubles, Gehlot's grip on the MLAs in Rajasthan has also been reported by party sources to Kharge that, in the recent assembly elections, Sachin Pilot is the most in-demand leader after the Gandhi family. He is also engaged in campaigning in all the states. Along with this, he is also going to meet Rahul once again by joining the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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