"Avoid Remarks That Can Harm Party": Rajastha Congress Leader To Colleagues

Amid growing signs of factionalism within the Rajasthan Congress, the party's state chief Govind Singh Dotasra on Tuesday said the leadership is noting down such developments.

He advised the Congress leaders to refrain from making public statements that could potentially weaken the party and asked them to register their grievances on appropriate platforms.

"Whoever has won on the Congress' symbol, whether he is a minister, an MLA or an office-bearer, should maintain the party's dignity," Mr Dotasra said.

"If someone (party person) says something in the media and the party's image gets dented due to that statement, it is not right. Such things are being noted at the party level and action will be taken at appropriate time," he added.

Bharat Jodo Yatra's in-charge in Rajasthan Vibhakar Shastri, too, said nobody is above the party and those violating its decorum will be shown the doors.

At a press conference, when asked whether the yatra skipped Jaipur due to growing factionalism, Mr Shastri said, "No leader is bigger than the party. Whoever thinks he is above the party should either quit or the party will push them out." 

A few days ago, minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Mahesh Joshi had come face to face over ministers not being not given the charge to fill the annual confidential reports of IAS officers.

In another incident, Sainik Welfare Minister Rajendra Gudha had on Monday said power in the state was completely centralised and people had to go to the chief minister's residence even for the transfer of police constables.

Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot had last week raised eyebrows over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “praise” for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and also nudged the Congress high command to end the "state of indecision" over the chief minister's post.

To this, Mr Dotasra said, "Surely, some of the things that are coming should not have been out. They are responsible leaders and MLAs of the party, we are ministers, we are all office-bearers. If I, being an office-bearer of the Congress, make any statement that harms the party, the people and party workers will not forgive me. I have a commitment that I will not do anything which will weaken the party." "I urge all those who believe in the Congress ideology and work for it not to make any statement that weakens the party," Mr Dotasra added.

Meanwhile, the senior leader expressed confidence that Congress will win the Sardarshahr assembly bypoll. "I can say with certainty that the Congress will win," he said.

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