Scindia, Gehlot, Pilot meet Rahul ahead of CM decision

Hectic parleys were on at Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence on Thursday to choose the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where the party dislodged the BJP from power in the Assembly elections.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present during the consultations when party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is a contender for the Chief Minister post in Madhya Pradesh, met Rahul Gandhi.

Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, who are aspirants in Rajasthan, also met Rahul Gandhi.

Gehlot and Pilot reached Gandhi's residence one after the other to apprise the party chief of their views. Central party observer for Rajasthan K.C. Venugopal also met Gandhi.

The meetings came a day after newly-elected Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh passed unanimous resolutions authorising Rahul Gandhi to take a decision on who will lead the legislature party in the these states.

Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath are contenders for the post of Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress, which fell two short of the majority mark in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly, has staked claim to form the government with the support of Independents

(Congress rebels), Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party MLAs.

In Rajasthan the party got 99 seats and crossed the halfway mark with its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal in the 200-member Assembly

The Congress has registered a landslide victory in Chhattisgarh.

--IANS

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