Pilot Loyalists To Be Included In Raj Cabinet? CM Gehlot Meets Priyanka, Maken Ahead Of Possible Reshuffle

The meeting comes as cabinet expansion in Rajasthan is overdue with many in CM Ashok Gehlot’s rival camp seeking accommodation.

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New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday met senior Congress leaders ahead of a possible expansion of his cabinet.

The likely expansion drive aims to accommodate all sections of the party, including those from the Sachin Pilot camp, sources said, as reported by news agency PTI.

As per sources cited by PTI, a major reshuffle in Rajasthan is likely to take place in the next few days and various modalities are being worked out by adopting the “one man, one post” formula to consider appointments in the cabinet.

CM Ashok Gehlot met All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the residence of Rahul Gandhi, where party general secretaries Ajay Maken and KC Venugopal were also present.

The discussions lasted around three hours, sources told PTI.

They informed that Rahul Gandhi was not present in the meeting.

After the discussions, Ajay Maken told reporters, “We discussed the political situation in Rajasthan. We discussed a roadmap to ensure that the Congress returns to power in the next assembly elections”.

“We also discussed the Congress’ good performance in the recently concluded assembly by-elections in the state,” he added, as quoted by PTI.

Ajay Maken is the general secretary in-charge of party affairs in Rajasthan.

He stated that there were a number of issues that were required to be discussed with the chief minister and the roadmap is now clear.

The meeting comes as cabinet expansion in Rajasthan is overdue with many in CM Ashok Gehlot’s rival camp seeking accommodation.

Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot had also met Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in September to discuss his future as well the accommodation of some of his loyalists in the state cabinet.

Last year, Congress had managed to save its state government in Rajasthan after Sachin Pilot rebelled against CM Ashok Gehlot over long-standing differences. 

In the political crisis, Sachin was removed as the deputy chief minister and replaced as state Congress chief by Govind Singh Dotasra.

(With Agency Inputs)