Rajasthan Congress Archives - Lokmarg

Rajasthan: Cong To Begin Assembly Poll Campaign From Oct 16

By LokMarg 8th October 2023

The Congress will begin its election campaign for the upcoming assembly election in Rajasthan from October 16 with “Kaam kiya dil se, Congress fir se” as its slogan, state party president Govind Singh Dotasra said on Sunday.

Dotasra, while addressing the media after the meeting of the State Congress War Room, said that the party will keep the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) on its priority list and start campaigning from Baran district and cover 12 districts of eastern Rajasthan where the canal is proposed for meeting out drinking and irrigation water for the people.

“Congress will start its campaign ‘Kaam Kiya Dil se, Congress Sarkar Phir se’ from October 16. We will begin it from the centre’s broken promise on ERCP (Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project)… We will start in 12 districts from October 16… We will do meetings in every district where at least one lakh people will come…” Dotasra said.

Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi, Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli, Alwar, Bharatpur, Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Tonk and Dholpur will be part of the Congress’ poll campaign in eastern Rajasthan.

He further said that the Congress government has fulfilled 98 per cent of the promises made in its manifesto and the next manifesto will be prepared on the basis of the ‘Vision 2030’ document.

The leader further said that at the Congress Working Meeting (CWC) meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Delhi on Monday, the state election committee will present the names of potential poll candidates to the screening committee for consideration.

Speaking with the media about the meeting, Rajasthan Congress Incharge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, “We will start our election campaign from Eastern Rajasthan. The BJP has made false promises that the canal (Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project) would be constructed…”

Randhawa further said that this is the ‘misfortune’ of Rajasthan that despite Gajendra Singh Shekhawat being the Jal Shakti Minister, the state could not get the project.

“Before talking about the entire country, they should have looked into their home state,” Randhawa added. (ANI)

Our Organisation, Min All Will Work Together: Sachin After Meeting At AICC

By LokMarg 6th July 2023

Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot on Thursday said that the party’s goal is to return to power in the state, adding that party will collectively work together to achieve the objective.

“It was a very meaningful, extensive and important discussion. We discussed all the issues…Our organisation, our leaders, our MLAs, and ministers all will work together and as I have always been saying our goal is to form Congress government again in Rajasthan…”, Sachin Pilot told the media following a party meeting on the upcoming Assembly elections at the AICC headquarters.
During a press briefing, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that Congress will fight unitedly, reverse the trend of alternative governments and repeat the Congress government in Rajasthan.

He said, “29 leaders from Rajasthan Congress including the CM and PCC chief participated in this meeting today. All the leaders unanimously decided that Congress can win the Rajasthan elections provided there is unity among Rajasthan Congress. Today, all leaders decided to fight the elections unitedly. On the basis of winning ability, the candidates will be selected. The list of candidates will be announced in the first week of September.”

Furthermore, Venugopal cautioned party members to not discuss internal issues outside the party and said that strict disciplinary action will be taken against those who violate it.

“The party has decided that everyone should follow strict discipline. Any issues are to be discussed within the party, and no one has the freedom to speak about the party’s internal politics outside the party. Strict disciplinary action will be taken against those who violate this”, he added.

Earlier today, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi met leaders from Rajasthan to assess preparations for assembly polls and bring greater cohesion in the state party unit amid differences between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.

The meeting was attended by Sachin Pilot and several other senior leaders from Rajasthan as the Assembly polls are scheduled to be held later this year.

CM Gehlot joined the meeting through video conferencing.

Congress has been in power in Rajasthan over the past four-and-half-years and the differences between Gehlot and Pilot have made it harder for Congress to get another term in office in the state. Pilot led a revolt against Gehlot in 2020 and subsequently lost his positions as Deputy Chief Minister and state party chief.

The loyalists of the Chief Minister scuttled a meeting of party legislators last year which the AICC had planned for apparent leadership change in the state as Gehlot was to shift to Delhi as party chief.

Gehlot had then decided to continue as Chief Minister. Piot has accused the government of not taking appropriate action over “corruption” allegations faced by the BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje. He carried out Jan Sangarsh Yatra over his demands against the advice of party leadership.

Pilot has also demanded disbanding and reorganising of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), which hit the headlines in the wake of the alleged paper leak case, and compensation to the affected candidates.

Rajasthan is among the five states that will go to assembly elections later this year along with Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram.

The Congress leadership has already held strategy meetings for the other poll-bound states. (ANI)

Sachin Pilots Questions CM Gehlot Over R’sthan Paper Leak

By LokMarg 18th January 2023

In fresh trouble in the Rajasthan Congress, party leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday attacked the Ashok Gehlot government over the exam paper leaks case.

While not naming the Rajasthan chief minister, Pilot, addressing an event in Jhunjhunu on Wednesday, said, “We welcome the government’s decision to investigate the paper leaks case. However, it’s hard to believe that no Congress leader or government official is not involved in the leaks.”

Taking a dig at the CM, with whom he had a public falling out in the wake of the Rajasthan political crisis in 2020, Pilot said the government should explain what was the ‘magic’ which saw the leaked exam papers landing up with students without the involvement of any leader or government official.

“It has been said that the exam papers were kept inside a vault. So one wonders what magic went into them landing up with students without the involvement of any (Congress) leader or politician,” the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said.

He added that responsibility should be fixed in the paper leaks case and those involved should be identified and brought to book.

On Tuesday, too, Pilot had raised questions on the leak of question papers for recruitment exams in Rajasthan.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, he said, “I was saddened and anguished after learning of the paper leaks. Repeated paper leaks compromise the future of our youth. It doesn’t matter who the culprit is, a strict investigation should be conducted to stop the recurrence of such paper leaks.”

In December, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) canceled the competitive examination for the recruitment of 2nd-grade teachers for 2022. The exam was rescheduled for January 29.

After at least half a dozen major examination paper leaks have rocked Rajasthan since the Congress came to power in 2018.

The Opposition, led by the BJP, has accused the Gehlot government of failing to curb the menace. (ANI)

Gehlot Is A Seasoned Leader, Pilot Is Ambitious But Immature

By LokMarg 24th December 2022

Asha Patel, a senior political observer based in Jaipur, discloses how a temporary truce was reached between CM Gehlot and Sachin Pilot

The volatile equation between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot saw a temporary truce while Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was passing through the state. It should be noted that this Yatra’s tenure was going to be the longest in Rajasthan. All the MLAs, leaders, and cadres of the Congress party were strictly advised not to create any kind of ruckus during the Yatra.

As for the Pilot and Gehlot tussle is concerned, it was a rare sight to see both of them flying in the same helicopter from Bundi to Jaipur airport and then proceeding to Delhi in a chartered plane. From there they went to Shimla to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister. As Jairam Ramesh said, it was not a photo-op but a show of actual unity. How did this happen?

Gehlot had called Pilot a ‘traitor’ in an interview with a news channel. It was before the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Rajasthan. Gehlot’s remarks were disapproved by the Gurjar community to which Pilot belongs. The community threatened to disrupt the yatra in the state unless their demands are met. One of their demands was to make Sachin Pilot the Chief Minister. Gehlot had remarked that Pilot can never become the Chief Minister and called him a ‘gaddar’.

The pilot is an immature leader as compared to Gehlot. What Gehlot has done in the last five years for the people of Rajasthan is marvelous. Many policies and programs started by the state government have had a positive effect on the grassroots. Gehlot is a seasoned politician who knows how to handle adversaries. Look at the recent episode at the start of the Bharat Jodo Yatra where he displayed his authority. The central leadership of Congress to knows the importance of Gehlot being at the helm of affairs.

On the other hand, Sachin Pilot knows very well that there is no use in becoming a Chief Minister for just one year. It is a political tradition in Rajasthan that no party repeats itself in the government. The pilot also knows that the next government will be led by the Bharatiya Janata Party. That is why he has been consoled and advised to remain calm. He will be fielded from Uttar Pradesh in 2024. Actually, he comes from Bulandshahar so it would be a natural choice for him.

So when Gehlot’s remark drew criticism from the Gurjar community, the party had to go for immediate troubleshooting in Rajasthan. Congress stood by its stand that both Gehlot and Pilot are assets for the party. Anyhow, the Gurjar community was assuaged. That is why both Pilot and Gehlot were present when Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Rajasthan setting aside their political differences.

The episode is now over with Gehlot’s second interview in which he clarified his stand referring to the ‘gaddar’ comment. He said, “Such incidents and accidents often happen in politics. Time fixes everything.’

So, Gehlot and Pilot’s episode has been very well fixed by the central leadership. Both have walked together with Rahul Gandhi in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. There is no point in discussing it after that joint appearance.

(The narrator is an independent editor-owner of Vanijya Setu and Garibon Ka Setu weekly)

As told to Abhishek Srivastava

Rajasthan: Maken’s Unwillingness To Continue As Incharge Of State

By LokMarg 16th November 2022

The crisis that began in the Rajasthan Congress on September 25 this year has taken a new turn. Now the annoyed general secretary in charge of the state Ajay Maken has expressed his unwillingness to continue in his post.

In a letter to party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Ajay Maken stated that he does not want to continue in his post after the events of September 25.
In his letter dated November 8, Maken said that a new person should be given the responsibility before the Bharat Jodo Yatra enters the state and state assembly by-elections are held.

“I am a soldier of Rahul Gandhi. My family has decades of association with the party,” he wrote.

On September 25, on the instructions of the then President Sonia Gandhi, Maken and Kharge went to Jaipur as observers. Then there was a buzz of Ashok Gehlot contesting the election of the Congress President. So, a meeting of the Legislature Party was to be held for the selection of the new Chief Minister, but a rebellious tone was adopted by the Gehlot supporters who opposed the candidature of Sachin Pilot. The meeting could not take place. The high command was miffed with the development in the crisis-hit state.

After this, show-cause notices were issued to three leaders. But even after a long time, no action was taken. Even after Gehlot apologized to Sonia Gandhi, organization general secretary KC Venugopal had said that a decision on Rajasthan Congress will be taken in the next two days. Still, the meeting of the Legislature Party could not be held again.

According to sources, miffed with all the developments, Maken decided to quit the post.

According to sources, the high command is unhappy with the behaviour of Gehlot’s supporters, but Gehlot is currently the chief observer of the Gujarat elections. At the same time, he does not want to pose a risk to the Rajasthan government at this time.

In such a situation, the ball is in the court of the same Kharge who himself is the witness to the whole incident.

It is believed that the Rajasthan crisis will be the first major test of Kharge’s organizational skills. Now they have to decide how to persuade Gehlot to hand over the command to Sachin or maintain Gehlot by taking care of Sachin. On the other hand, he also faces the challenge of solving the case of ‘indiscipline’ that took place on September 25.

To add to Kharge’s troubles, Gehlot’s grip on the MLAs in Rajasthan has also been reported by party sources to Kharge that, in the recent assembly elections, Sachin Pilot is the most in-demand leader after the Gandhi family. He is also engaged in campaigning in all the states. Along with this, he is also going to meet Rahul once again by joining the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra. (ANI)