Rajasthan political crisis: Miffed CWC wants Gehlot out of the Cong presidential race

New Delhi, Sep 26: Miffed with the unexpected turn of events in Rajasthan Congress, the central leadership has urged interim president Sonia Gandhi to drop Ashok Gehlot from the party's presidential poll race.

The development comes a day after 90 odd MLAs from Rajasthan Congress refused to attend the CLP meeting, which was supposed in the presence of AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken. The CM supporters have indicated that they do not want Sachin Pilot as Gehlot's successor and want the next CM to be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the 2020 crisis.

This development has irked the Congress Working Committee members who have registered their unhappiness over the political crisis. "It would not be good to lay faith in him and give him the responsibility of the party. The party top leadership should reconsider his candidature," ANI quoted a source as saying. Now, they have demanded to find a replacement to Gehlot.

In a show of strength, several loyalists Gehlot submitted their resignation to Speaker on Sunday as they were not consulted over Gehlot's successor.

Gehlot loyalists MLAs said they have put forth demands before the observers that any decision on the CM's face be taken after the party president election on October 19 and in consultation with Gehlot.

The political drama over leadership change continued on Monday as well with MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot remaining non-committal on holding a meeting with Congress observers, who are likely to return to Delhi to apprise the high command about the developments.

Ashok Gehlot was reportedly willing to remain as both Rajasthan CM and the party's national president. However, Rahul Gandhi was against it and batted for the "one-man, one-post" concept in line with the Chintan Shivir reforms earlier this year.

If Gehlot is pulled out, Digvijaya Singh and Mukul Wasnik might join the race.

Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor, who is also in the race, is likely to file the nomination papers for the party chief poll on September 30.

Even as things are heating up in Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi has resumed the 19th day of his ambitious 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Palakkad in Kerala.