Hours after Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot met Sonia Gandhi, his former deputy Sachin Pilot also met the Congress interim chief late on Thursday evening.
After their 40-minute meeting, Pilot said, “I met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and she listened to me calmly.”
Pilot, who was supposed to replace Gehlot in Rajasthan, said that he held a detailed discussion on whatever happened in Jaipur on Sunday and apprised her of his sentiments and feedback.
“All of us want to win the 2023 polls in the state by working hard and we shall have to work together,” Pilot said.
When asked about Sonia Gandhi taking a decision on the Chief ministerial candidate in one or two days, he said that she will be making the decision.
Pilot also expressed confidence that the Congress will form a government in Rajasthan again in the next 12-13 months through hard work.
Earlier in the day, following his meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Gehlot said, “Looking at the recent political circumstances, I have decided not to contest in the Congress president election. A decision on the Chief Minister’s post will be taken by Sonia Gandhi.”
Gehlot’s statement virtually put curtains on a remarkable turnaround of fortune for a man who was believed to be the choice of the Gandhi family to succeed them as the next president of the Grand Old Party.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media after meeting Sonia Gandhi, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said, “A decision on the Rajasthan CM post will be taken in a day or two by the Congress president.”
Venugopal’s remarks came hours after Gehlot met Sonia Gandhi and apologised for the unfortunate turn of events in Rajasthan on Sunday.
A high-voltage drama erupted in Rajasthan on Sunday when the MLAs loyal to Gehlot skipped the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting and held a separate parallel meeting at the residence of urban development minister Shanti Dhariwal.
At the meeting at Dhariwal’s residence, MLAs belonging to Gehlot’s camp opposed the idea of electing Sachin Pilot as the next CM of the state. The MLAs also submitted their resignations to House Speaker CP Joshi.