Row over Congress' CM face in Rajasthan

Amid a row over the Congress chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan, party general secretary and state in-charge Avinash Pandey on Saturday said the polls would be conducted under the leadership of party president Rahul Gandhi.

Assembly elections are due in the state later this year.

Pandey asked party leaders not to issue any statement which violates party discipline.

His remark came soon after former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot projected himself as the CM face at a party meeting in Udaipur.

Gehlot said: "People of Rajasthan are acquainted with a face which has been a chief minister for 10 years; what else can be done to bring in more clarity on this CM's face," he said, adding that he will be serving the state till his last breath.

Former Union minister and veteran Congress leader Lalchand Kataria had recently said that Gehlot should be named as the party's CM candidate.

"Kataria has been a senior leader and we all respect him for his contribution to the party. We also look forward to his clarification on the statement he issued recently," Pandey said.

--IANS

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