Congress Party's Chief Whip In Rajasthan Assembly Resigns

Mahesh Joshi resigned from the post last month and the resignation has been accepted by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

New Delhi: Congress chief whip in Rajasthan Assembly Mahesh Joshi resigned from the post last month and the resignation has been accepted by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, an official spokesperson said, as reported by the news agency PTI. The spokesperson said on Friday that Joshi resigned as the chief whip as he also holds the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) portfolio.

Joshi had submitted the resignation before the commencement of the Budget session on January 23. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accepted the resignation on Friday, the spokesperson said. The resignation was accepted by Chief Minister Gehlot on Friday, the spokesperson said.

Last month, Rajasthan Congress, party leader Sachin Pilot slammed 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."

Pilot took a dig at the CM, with whom he had a public falling out in the wake of Rajasthan political crisis in 2020, Pilot said the government should explain what was the 'magic' which saw the leaked exam papers landing up with stduents without the involvemenbt 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. Pilot had raised questions on the leak of question papers for recruitment exams in Rajasthan.