Pilot, Gehlot call for peace among party workers ahead of CM appointment

Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot on Thursday called for the party workers to maintain peace amid a prolonged wait for the appointment of the chief minister for the three newly-elected Congress governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Speaking to ANI, Gehlot, a former Rajasthan Chief Minister, said, "The decision will be taken soon, there is nothing to worry about. The decision has to be taken for chief ministers of three states so naturally, it takes time. The party president will take a call, whatever decisions will be taken will be binding on all. Rahul ji is talking to and consulting all leaders".

"Sometimes party workers become over-excited; I appeal to the workers to maintain peace. A process is underway, they should not indulge in anything that raises questions on the party. Also, in times like these, people other than party workers join in the commotion, so it projects an image that Congress workers are doing this (quarrelling with each other), whereas Congress workers are united in Rajasthan and across India," Gehlot added.

In reply to questions pertaining to comments from BJP leaders questioning them over the delay in appointing a chief minister, Gehlot said, "What right do they have? They could not appoint a Rajasthan-unit president for 76 days. First Gajendra Shekhawat was made the president, and then someone else was appointed in his stead. So they can't question us, these things take time."

Echoing similar thoughts, Sachin Pilot said, "I appeal to party workers to maintain peace and decorum. I have full faith in the leadership; we will welcome whatever Rahul Gandhi ji and Sonia Gandhi ji's decide. It is our responsibility to uphold the honour of the party; we are dedicated to the party."

He also appealed to the media to not run "news based on rumours and only rely on confirmed news".

Gehlot and Pilot are the two front-runners for the post of Rajasthan chief minister, and supporters of both camps have been vehemently demanding their leader to be selected for the top post.

Earlier today, supporters of Pilot, who is perceived to be the one who slogged in the trenches for five years to elevate the Congress from a 21-seat winning party in 2013 to 99 this time around, demonstrated in Rajasthan's Karauli district, blocking traffic and raising slogans for Pilot's appointment as the chief minister.

Gehlot's supporters have also indulged in such activities, thronging the party headquarters in Jaipur and sloganeering in the former chief minister's favour.

A similar deadlock situation also prevails in Madhya Pradesh, where supporters have been divided into two camps, one in favour of state campaign committee in-charge Jyotiraditya Scindia and the other supporting MPCC chief Kamal Nath.

The Rahul Gandhi-led party has to ensure that selection of any of the four leaders as the chief minister for their respective states does not lead to internal rifts, months ahead of the crucial General Elections next year.