Even as the Congress party is yet to declare its first list of candidates for Rajasthan, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that both he and Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot will contest the assembly elections.
Silencing all the speculations suggesting that none of the big wigs will contest in Rajasthan, AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot told media in New Delhi, "I will be contesting the elections and so will be Rajasthan Chief Sachin Pilot".
In a reply to Gehlot's statement Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot said, "With the instructions of high command and request of Ashok JI I have also decided to contest".
The Congress is banking on the anti-incumbency to wrest power from the BJP this time.
The 68-year-old Gehlot, a two-time chief minister of Rajasthan, is expected to seek re-nomination from Sardarpura seat constituency in Jodhpur. However, Sachin Pilot is expected to contest from a suitable constituency from Ajmer or Dausa, also known as his backyard.
Interestingly the party is yet to declare its first list even three days after BJP came out with the list on Sunday night. According to the sources, the list was stuck due to disagreement among senior leaders on seats. According to the reports the party was divided into Gehlot and Pilot camps over the ticket distribution. Another reason behind the delay of the list was a debate on whether senior leaders such as Gehlot, Pilot and CP Joshi should contest or not.
Earlier Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had already declared that she will be contesting from Jhalrapatan her home turf.
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