Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress leader Sachin Pilot.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Mahesh Joshi, a state minister who was one among the three Ashok Gehlot loyalists who spearheaded the rebellion that prevented a Congress Legislature Party meeting last year that could have set the stage for Sachin Pilot becoming Chief Minister, was on Saturday denied a ticket by the Congress to contest the Rajasthan Assembly election.
In the sixth list of 23 Congress candidates, Mahesh Joshi's name was notably absent, while RR Tiwari was named as the candidate for Hawa Mahal, Joshi's sitting seat. This decision signals that the Congress High Command did not take kindly to the Gehlot loyalists' rebellion last year, when the leadership wanted Gehlot to become Congress president and make way for Pilot as Chief Minister.
Despite intense lobbying by Gehlot, Joshi was not nominated, with his supporters protesting earlier this week when his name did not figure in the lists. There were reports that Rahul Gandhi was opposed to renominating Joshi and others.
Another contender, Shanti Dhariwal, also a minister - who along with Joshi is said to have masterminded the rebellion to thwart Pilot's chances while Gehlot was to be elevated as Congress president - also did not figure in the list. However, his Kota North constituency remained unallocated, leading to speculation that he may be lobbying for his son's candidature.
Dharmendra Rathore, Chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and one of the three leaders showcaused by the Congress leadership for the rebellion, has also not figured in the list so far.
Ajay Maken had resigned as Rajasthan in-charge due to no action being taken against the trio. Pilot had raised the issue multiple times, but has in recent times expressed a willingness to move forward in the party's interest.
With the announcement of 23 candidates in the sixth list, the Congress has announced 178 candidates out of 200, renominating 105 sitting MLAs and dropping 12, with 24 female candidates. The last date for filing nominations is November 6, and Congress is expected to name the remaining 21 candidates, leaving one seat for RLD. Additionally, after talks with the CPI(M) broke down, the Congress named candidates in two of the Left party's sitting seats, Bhadra and Dungagarh.