PM Modi's Remarks About Me Was Fact, Not Praise, Says Ashok Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asserted on Friday that whatever Prime Minister Narendra Modi said about him three days ago was just a fact and not a praise.

Gehlot's remarks came after his former deputy, Sachin Pilot, raised eyebrows over Modi's "praise" and nudged the Congress to end the "state of indecision" over the post of chief minister.

Modi and Gehlot had shared the dais at Mangarh Dham in Banswara district on Tuesday as they paid tribute to the tribal people killed in an uprising against the British in 1913.

During the event, Modi said when he headed the Gujarat government, Gehlot was the senior-most chief minister in the fraternity of CMs. He added that Gehlot is one of the senior-most chief ministers even today.

Responding to a question at a press conference in Baran, Gehlot said Modi spoke about his seniority, which was just a fact.

"Tell me, what did he praise? He presented the facts. He did not talk about my performance," Gehlot said. "I would've considered it praise when he would have accepted my three demands that I raised there." Gehlot had demanded that the Mangarh Dham be declared a national monument, examination of the state's Chiranjeevi scheme for implementation at the national level and starting of the Ratlam-Dungarpur project via Banswara rail line.

"Had he agreed to my proposals, then I would have agreed that he was praising me," Gehlot said.

Asked about the internal challenges in the party, Gehlot said everyone has a little bit of ambition in politics.

"It's reasonable that one should have ambition. It's the approach that makes some difference," the veteran Congress leader said.

Refuting any suggestions of internal conflict in the ruling party, Gehlot said he did not want to speak on the matter, adding that it was important to win the next Rajasthan elections in the interest of the state and the country.

The chief minister asserted that there was no anti-incumbency factor in the state.

"We brought such a good budget and schemes... People want work and development, which we are delivering," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)