In Jaipur, Ashok Gehlot backers trying to switch camps

In the last 48 hours, the political equations in Jaipur have rapidly changed with legislators and Ministers supporting Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot making a beeline to former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, who is one of the possible candidates to replace Mr. Gehlot, who is on his way to be the next Congress president. So far, the Congress leadership has not made any formal announcements in this regard.

On Friday, Mr. Pilot, who had joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala for a day returned to Jaipur, after a quick stop in Delhi to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Since his arrival in the State capital, one of his first meetings was with Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi, whose name had been doing the rounds as a possible replacement for Mr. Gehlot. Cabinet Minister Pratap Singh Khachairawas and former MLA Raghu Sharma were also present in the meeting.

One of the first to change his stance was Rural Development Minister Rajendra Gudha. “Now that Mr. Gehlot has now decided to become the Congress president, we will accept whoever the Delhi leadership chooses,” he said.

On Saturday morning, Mr. Pilot met Sheo MLA Ameen Khan and Dhod MLA Parasram Mordia at his residence in Jaipur. Both these MLAs are considered to be in the Gehlot camp.  The others from the Gehlot camp who reportedly met him include Congress MLA Girraj Malinga and Independent MLA Khushveer Jojawar.

These meetings assume importance in the backdrop of Mr. Gehlot’s insistence that his successor should be chosen after consultation with the Congress legislative party in Rajasthan. Mr. Pilot, in the last 48 hours has gone out of his way, to reach out to all those believed to be in the Gehlot camp.

Mr. Gehlot is expected to file his nomination on September 28 and the Pilot camp is hoping that he will also simultaneously tender his resignation. After a snub from former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Gehlot is unlikely to insist on remaining on the post, though the Pilot supporters are not going all out with celebrations. “Till it is not done, we can’t assume it is done. We will wait for final announcement before beginning the celebrations,” an MLA close to Mr. Pilot said.