Leadership war escalates within Congress

Jaipur: Rajasthan, the best hope for the Congress in upcoming Assembly elections in three states, could well turn into worst nightmare. Despite warning from the Central leadership, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s supporters have upped the ante for making him the CM face. A day after, party’s state in-charge Avinash Pande rebuked former Union minister Lal Chand Kataria, two more Gehlot supporters issued statement to back him.

Mr Kataria, who was minister of rural development in UPA-2, had said that the party should declare the chief ministerial candidate to clear confusion among people. “Gehlot is the right choice and should be declared the CM face; otherwise, the party may lose despite being in a winning position,” said Mr Kataria who surprised everyone by speaking in favour of Mr Gehlot as he is considered AICC general secretary and former Union minister Dr C.P. Joshi’s loyalist.

Two staunched supporters of Mr Gehlot, Sanjay Bapna and Prahlad Raghu, backed him. Mr Bapna, who lost previous assembly election with record margin and is also a former AICC joint secretary, said that the party came to power twice under Gehlot’s leadership.

Mr Raghu who was also party candidate in last Assembly election, said, “Lal Chand Kataria has only expressed people’s sentiments.

On the other hand, former MLA and party spokesperson Pratap Singh Khachariya was said that Sachin Pilot took over when the party was reduced to 21 seats. “In four years, he has strengthened the party at grass root level and boosted party workers’ morale. When the time has come for crucial final battle, people have been making irresponsible statements,” he said.

The BJP is watching gleefully as the Congress leaders, unmindful of damage to the party’s image and unity, are stoking up controversy. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will have to step in because party’s state in-charge Avinash Pande’s whip was lost on deaf ears.