Rahul to decide on CMs of MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on Thursday

New Delhi, Dec 12: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will meet observers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on Thursday and then take a decision on chief ministers for these states.

In Madhya Pradesh, the main contenders for the position are state party president Kamal Nath and campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia. In Rajasthan, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and the party's young face in the state-Sachin Pilot-are eyeing for the top spot.

In Chhattisgarh, the contenders are Tamardhwaj Sahu, TS Singh Deo, and Bhupesh Baghel.

"The process of electing the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is presently ongoing. Congress party believes in the democratic process of knowing the view point of each elected legislator..Senior leaders AK Antony, M Kharge, KC Venugopal along with General Secretary in charges have gone to their respective states. Once they know opinion of each legislator, despite universal resolution leaving the choice to Congress president, he wants to go by choice of legislators," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI.

"After consulting everybody we will give a CM candidate and a government that truly reflects will of people of these three states. We will start process of loan waiver, process of creating new employment opportunities and reconstruction of these states in accordance with people's will," he added.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Observer for Chhattisgarh, said party chief Rahul Gandhi will decide who will become the Chief Minister of the state.

"It has been unanimously decided that the head of the CLP leaders will be decided by Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi had said that even if a resolution is passed unanimously, every MLA should be talked to and their opinions have to be considered," ANI quoted him as saying.

Bringing an end to its prolonged electoral losses since 2014, the Congress ousted the BJP to capture Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress is back after 15 years with an absolute majority, while in Rajasthan the party fell two seats short of crossing the 101-majority mark. In Madhya Pradesh, the nail-biting contest reached its finale this morning after the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 114 seats and has approached the Governor to stake a claim to the government. The BJP, meanwhile, has 109 seats to its credit.