Day after angry tweet, Rajasthan min meets CM, says Cong united for 2023

After expressing anguish over the conduct of CM Gehlot's principal secretary and asking to be freed of his ministerial responsibilities, Ashok Chandna asserted everything was okay within the party

A day after expressing anguish over the conduct of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's principal secretary and asking to be freed of his ministerial responsibilities, Rajasthan Sports Minister Ashok Chandna met the senior Congress leader here Friday and asserted everything was okay within the party.

The Congress family is united for 2023 state polls, Chandna said in a tweet after the meeting with the chief minister this evening.

"There was a long and meaningful discussion on all the subjects with the Honorable Chief Minister. He is the guardian of the Rajasthan Congress family," Chandana tweeted, adding whatever decisions the CM takes will be right.

He said the BJP should take care of its own house.

"The Congress family is united and in mobilisation for #Mission2023," he tweeted in Hindi, referring to the state assembly polls due next year.

On Thursday, Chandna had made his displeasure against Gehlot's Principal Secretary Kuldeep Ranka public through a tweet, referring to him as the "minister of all the departments", and saying he did not want to hold on to the "dishonourable" ministerial post.

Earlier in the day, Gehlot said Chandna's this tweet should not be taken seriously as it might have come under the pressure of heavy workload.

"He is under huge workload. Maybe he came under tension and made some comments. It should not be taken seriously...will talk to him," Gehlot told reporters in the morning.

"He seems to be working under pressure, such a big responsibility has come on him, will see," Gehlot said.

Gehlot also said Chandna had organised a state-level sports programme earlier and in the same way, a similar event -- Rural Olympics -- is going to be held for the first time in Rajasthan in which 30 lakh people are likely to participate.

The Congress backed Gehlot on his views over the minister's tweet.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in Delhi said CM Ashok Gehlot has given a reply and has said that the minister has a lot of departments with him and he may have tweeted out of tension due to the workload.

"Our governments work and those who work have tension. We have never seen our prime minister in tension and he is always seen smiling. You can see one who does not work does not have tension, even when petrol rates are going sky high," Khera told reporters when asked about the minister's remarks.