Speculation over the impending leadership shift in the state is rampant ahead of a significant Congress legislative party (CLP) meeting on Sunday evening at the home of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
Gehlot earlier this week announced that he will run for the grand old party's presidential election. Given the "one party, one position" rule of the Congress, he would be required to quit as chief minister of Rajasthan if he were to win.
Rahul Gandhi reiterated the rule this week at a news conference while leading the Congress on its Bharat Jodo Yatra, in spite of all the chatter about Gehlot and Shashi Tharoor emerging as the front-runners for the position.
But in addition to the presidential elections and the selection of the state's new chief minister, questions are also being raised regarding Rajasthan's upcoming assembly elections.
Ahead of the meeting, Rajasthan minister Dr. Subhash Garg informed ANI: "Ashok Gehlot should be taken in loop (in deciding the next chief minister) so that we can again form the government in 2023. It's regrettable how some people who broke discipline are considered for the post."
Referring to Sachin Pilot's uprising against Gehlot in 2020, Rajasthan Minister said: "Everyone will accept whatever the Congress high-command decides, but they should remember how two years ago, there was a conspiracy in alliance with BJP to topple the state government... they should keep in mind people who think along the lines of party ideology and keep unity."
"Hope nothing goes down as it did in Punjab. All these talks (of naming Sachin Pilot the CM) should happen if the CM is announced as the next party chief," Garg furher said.
Last year, the Congress infighting in Punjab became nasty due to Navjot Singh Sidhu's continuous assaults on Amarinder Singh, who ultimately severed his decades-long affiliation with the Congress and resigned as chief minister months before the polls. He is presently a member of the BJP.