Hooda downplays demand for Jat CM in Raj after election

Jaipur, Jul 31 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda today downplayed a demand of assurance from the Congress leadership for a Jat Chief Minister if the party came in the power after the Assembly election in Rajasthan and said the matter should be left for decision by party supremo Sonia Gandhi.

Addressing a congregation of the Jat, Yadav and Gujjar communities, after unveilling the statue of Jat Raja Suraj Mal near Kotputli in Jaipur district this afternoon, Mr Hooda counselled the Congress ranks and files not to consume time and energy in making the leadership an issue at this point of time, but devote themselves to ensuring an impressive electoral win and installation of the Congress-led government in the state.

Mr Hooda said the issue of selection of a CLP leader could be decided by Ms Gandhi after the election.

The Chief Minister's advice assumed significance in the wake of the Jat community leaders' reported claims for the post of the CLP leader.

He said the Jats were the time-tested supporters of the Congress and in the next Assembly election due to be held in the state by November, the Jats would surely pave way for the return of the Congress to power in Jaipur.

The Rajasthan Jat Sabha has already announced its unconditional support to the party for the Assembly polls but the outfit was maintaining that it did expect the Congress leadership to regard the community's sentiments too.

AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress MP Sachin Pilot and several prominent party leaders also addressed the congregation.

Both Mr Hooda and Mr Gehlot condemned the Vasundhara Raje Government in Rajasthan for its ''misrule'' and ''corruption'' and claimed that the people of the state would discard the Saffron party to vote the Congress in power.

Mr Gehlot said the Raje government could neither enfore law and order appropriately, nor could it effectively solve political issues, including those related to farmers and the Gujjar agitation, which were marred by violence and police firings.

Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha president Raja Ram Meel assured full support of the Jat community to the Congress and said the Jats would ensure an impressive win at the hustings for the Party.

UNI SS SBC AKJ CS2358