New Delhi/Bhopal: After taking moral responsibility for the political developments in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Thursday that he would not contest the Congress’s president poll, party sources said. Gehlot made the announcement after meeting party president Sonia Gandhi. He told reporters that he had apologised to her for the developments on Sunday, which rattled the ruling Congress in Rajasthan.
The legislators loyal to him thwarted the central observers’ efforts to hold a meeting with them as well as defied the senior leaders of the party who had come to Rajasthan to solve the issue. Instead of cooperating with the central leaders, the party legislators held a parallel meeting to oppose the move to make Sachin Pilot chief minister of the state.
Gehlot has been the chief minister of the state thrice and described himself as a disciplined Congress man. He also said that he was sad about what had happened in the state.
After former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath made it clear that he was not in the race for the post of Congress president, the focus is on party’s Rajya Sabha member from the state Digvijaya Singh. Nath said that as the assembly elections are merely 13 months away, he would not contest the party president’s election.
Singh, who was busy taking part in Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala, reached the party headquarters in Delhi and collected the nomination form. Although he said that he would not be in the race for party president’s post, said that he wanted to contest it.
A report from Bhopal says: The Congress legislators from Madhya Pradesh will also reach Delhi to back Singh who sought support from the party’s state unit. The brother of Digvijaya Singh, Lakshman Singh, said, “Our parents have always taught us about struggle. Me and my brother, Digvijaya Singh, are not the ones who would step back.” Leader of opposition in MP Assembly Govind Singh, considered close to Digvijaya Singh, said that Nath had asked to reach Delhi along with party legislators.
