Rajasthan: Sachin Pilot meets Speaker Joshi amid speculations of change of guard

Jaipur, Sep 23: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday met Rajasthan Speaker C P Joshi, amid speculations of the change of guard in the state as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot cleared that he will be running for the post of the Congress' national president. Pilot met Joshi in his chamber in the state Assembly, where several party MLAs were present.

According to party sources, Pilot is the frontrunner for the CM's post but Speaker CP Joshi's name is also doing rounds. Joshi is a former state Congress president and was a contender for the post in 2008 but lost the Assembly elections by one vote at that time. Earlier in the day, both Gehlot and Pilot reached Jaipur after meeting the party high command.

However, none of the leaders commented on the latest developments. Gehlot, who was out of the state capital for three days, returned to Jaipur on Friday evening with Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra. He went straight from the airport to the chief minister's residence.

Gehlot had gone to Delhi on Wednesday. From there he went to Kochi and met Rahul Gandhi. He was in Maharashtra on Friday and visited the Shirdi's Sai Baba temple. Pilot, who also in Kochi, reached Jaipur on Friday and went to the state Assembly.

Many MLAs close to Pilot also met him there.