BJP Pokes Fun As Rajasthan Congress Weathers Top Post Crisis

The crisis in Rajasthan Congress over the question of the Chief Minister post has brought much glee to the BJP camp, which has started tweeting digs. More than 90 MLAs of the Congress are meeting the Speaker, claiming they would resign if Ashok Gehlot -- front-runner for the post of the party's national president -- does not remain the Chief Minister. Earlier this evening their demand was to have a Gehlot loyalist in the top post instead of Sachin Pilot, said to be the Central leaders' choice.

The possibility of a double role for Mr Gehlot was ended by Rahul Gandhi earlier this week. Mr Gandhi had insisted on the "One man one post" rule.

Amid speculation on whether the Gehlot loyalist MLAs will be taken away to a  resort, the BJP's Union minister Bhupendra Yadav, tweeted an old photograph of Mr Gehlot and Mr Pilot flanking Rahul Gandhi. The photo was tweeted by Mr Gandhi four years ago, the day he persuaded Mr Pilot -- then a contender for the Chief Minister post -- to accept the role of Mr Gehlot's deputy.

This time, the caption read, "Please get them to join first" -- a dig at the Congress's "Bharat Jodo yatra" being led by Rahul Gandhi.

The BJP has been consistently mocking the Kanyakumari to Kashmir foot march, saying the Congress should focus instead on uniting the party, in view of so many of its senior leaders heading for the exit.

Another Union minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, tweeted, "This is a government that has to be fenced in (a resort). It has to be shut in again".

Ninety-two MLAs of the Congress are meeting the Speaker, insisting that they will resign if their demands are not met.

An actual mass resignation will bring down the government and deliver the state into BJP hands. Some Congress leaders have dismissed the possibility, terming the MLAs' move as an "emotional gesture" and saying that reason will prevail.