Ashok Gehlot meets Congress leader Ambika Soni ahead of CWC meet

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who has arrived here to take part in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting scheduled to be held on Saturday has met senior party leader Ambika Soni.

According to sources, the meeting between the two senior Congress leaders lasted about 2 hours following which the Rajasthan Chief Minister left for Jodhpur House.

The CWC meeting is expected to begin at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday.

According to sources, Gehlot will also meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi besides attending the CWC meeting.

Gehlot, a party veteran, also discussed several organisational issues with Soni.

Ahead of the Rajasthan chief minister's visit to Delhi, the state's party in-charge Ajay Maken also met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday and provided her feedback on the current situation in the state.

Also, Maken in Jaipur held one-on-one meeting with all the party MLAs and workers regarding the cabinet expansion, after which it was expected that Gehlot would soon expand the cabinet. However, Maken said the cabinet could not be expanded due to Gehlot's health conditions.

The CWC meeting is being considered "very important" in view of the situation in Rajasthan.

Three others leaders from Rajasthan -- CWC members Raghuveer Meena, Jitendra Singh, Raghu Sharma will also attend the meeting, apart from Ashok Gehlot.

After Punjab, the possibilities of cabinet expansion are being explored in Rajasthan too.

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma who has been appointed in-charge of Daman Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli, will participate in the CWC meeting for the first time.

--IANS

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