Rahul Gandhi’s Rajasthan visit gives more power to CM Gehlot.
New Delhi: The growing infighting in BJP in Rajasthan is going to be a boon for the Congress as well as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Gehlot is already stronger than before in the Congress. Now, efforts to destabilize his government will come to a halt.
Congress former chief Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Rajasthan has given Gehlot more confidence and power. The development has given a strong message to the disgruntled leaders. The message is loud and clear that what Ashok Gehlot wants will happen in the Congress in Rajasthan. It is Gehlot who will be deciding all the political and ministerial appointments.
Cabinet expansion will take place after bypolls of 4 April. Last year, Gehlot had not only saved his government, but strengthened his position even in the central Congress politics. Moreover, the BJP’s infighting also got exposed after the Gehlot was saved.
There are indications that the BJP’s intra party fighting may assume alarming proportions in future, if things continue to be the way they are now. But the Congress stands benefited by this, with a brake on attempts to destabilize the Gehlot government. During his two-day Rajasthan visit, Rahul Gandhi lauded the work done by Ashok Gehlot. He also sent out a stern message to the leaders, who have been trying to damage the organisation from within.
Gehlot has emerged a stronger leader after all the ordeal that his government faced last year. He developed much closer relations with the high command after that. Moreover, Gehlot had strongly defended the Gandhi family when the dissenters had launched a verbal attack against the leadership. He already had trust of Sonia Gandhi, but now both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra like him. Both of them discuss several key issues with Gehlot. After the death of Ahmed Patel, Gehlot is the only leader whom the Gandhis trust the most. He will be given key responsibility during the party president elections. A proposal to elect Rahul Gandhi as Congress chief will be sent soon.
BJP is on backfoot due to Gehlot’s politics. The saffron party is divided in two factions in Rajasthan. One faction is led by former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, while the other belongs to BJP state president Satish Puniya. Raje has already started her internal politics with the result that a separate front of her supporters has been formed. The front is organizing programmes.
She is not attending the programmes of state BJP. Raje has had bouts with the high command earlier too. But only time will tell how much she succeeds this time. It is said that after five states’ polls, the high command will try to find a middle path by offering her a ministerial position at the Centre. The high command knows that the infighting will grow if Raje is ignored, which will then be benefiting the Congress.