Gehlot for AICC president: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hinted, that he may file nomination papers for the AICC President post if Rahul Gandhi does not agree to contest the election, besides holding the CM post simultaneously in the future.
Addressing a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting called hurriedly late on Tuesday night after hosting a dinner in honour of Vice President, Jagdip Dhankar at his residence, Gehlot clearly told MLAs and Ministers if he had to file a nomination for the party President post, he would inform them in a day or two advance.
Gehlot who is scheduled to take off for Delhi at 1000 hrs today by a special plane and is likely to meet Sonia Gandhi, interim party president, will also go to Kochi to meet Rahul Gandhi. “I will meet Rahul Gandhi in Kochi later in the day, and try my best to convince him to accept the party post by contesting the election”, quoting his last night CLP meeting minutes the party sources said here today.
He also assured his party MLAs and Ministers that they would not have to be worried as he would serve Rajasthan wherever he would go, in case. Gehlot also asserted the party was paramount for him and followed the party’s high command’s decisions and directions.
Over 100 MLAs attended the CLP meeting which was addressed by CM, PCC President, and MLA Govind Singh Dotasara, Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi, and Deputy Chief Whip Mahendra Joshi. CM also directed the senior ministers Dotasara, Dr B D Kalla, and Shanti Dhariwal to take care of the assembly which is in session for the last two days.
Many times reacting to the media in the last fortnight, Gehlot had contradicted his probable shifting to AICC as Party President from Rajasthan. Gehlot has boldly outweighed by saying, “Till the last breath of my life, I would not go away from Rajasthan whatever liability is there in future”.
“Main Thansu door Nahin hoon…..I am present between you. I am not away from you, this I tell every time. I am with this state, and till the last breath of my life, I will not go away from the state”, Gehlot stressed.
“Whatever responsibility is there or I am having, whatever is done (probably by the AICC), I am present between you. Rajasthan is in my ‘Jehan’, I know its climate, know the public, drought, and famine, and other development done here”, he who always smiles had said.