Congress high command in no hurry to decide on Rajasthan leadership issue

Leaders like Antony were of the view that doing something in a rush would precipitate the crisis, sources said

The Congress central leadership is in no hurry to decide on the Rajasthan leadership issue, with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appearing to be consolidating his position and the High Command receiving advice not to precipitate the matter at this point of time.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has consulted a number of senior leaders, including A K Antony, who were of the opinion that disturbing Gehlot at this moment could be counter- productive and the leadership should allow the dust to be settled first before thinking about any action.

On September 28 when Gehlot bowed out of Congress president election after expressing regret over the Jaipur ‘rebellion’, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal had said that a decision on the state leadership would be taken in a day or two by Sonia. There were discussions about sending observers to the state again but the decision now is in limbo.

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However, sources said, veteran leaders like Antony were of the view that doing something in a rush would precipitate the crisis, one the party could not afford at this juncture. The leadership believes that Gehlot still has a hold over the party though Pilot has been expecting he would replace Gehlot at the earliest.

The run up to the nomination for Congress president election saw high drama in Jaipur after the High Command wanted Gehlot to file nomination for Congress president and install his bete noir Sachin Pilot as his successor. However, around 92 of the 108 Congress MLAs supporting Gehlot did not attend a Congress Legislature Party meeting on September 25 to authorise Sonia to take a decision.

Sonia has been “very unhappy” about the developments in Jaipur with MLAs defying the central leadership dictat.

However, sources said, a section in the leadership feels that the decision was hurried through and did not factor in how Gehlot could react. The sense was that Gehlot and MLAs found the leadership’s hurry in installing Pilot as the Chief Minister suspicious.

On Sunday, Gehlot rubbed it on Pilot saying, “when a chief minister is changed, 80-90 per cent switch sides. They turn to the new candidate. I too don't consider it wrong. But it was a new case in Rajasthan where the MLAs got agitated just because of the name of the new chief minister…I could not guess but the MLAs sensed who was going to be the new chief minister.” He did not name Pilot.

Asked about change in leadership, he told reporters in Jaipur, “I am doing my work and if a decision has to be taken, it is for the party high command to take.” With advertisements in Delhi editions of newspapers on Rajasthan government’s achievements and remarks that he cannot remain away from the people of Rajasthan "till his last breath", Gehlot has indicated to his supporters that he has got the backing of the High Command for the time being.