Rahul Gandhi defers to Friday decisions on Raj, C'garh CMs

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has deferred the decisions on chief ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh for Friday as he wants to hold further discussions with party leaders, Congress sources said.

Gandhi held discussions with party leaders in Chhattisgarh Thursday to decide on the new chief minister for the state, the party sources said, but postponed the decision to Friday for holding wider discussions with the contenders.

The Congress chief had earlier held a series of meetings with CM aspirants in Rajasthan -- Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot -- but no consensus emerged between the two and Pilot asserted his right for the top post.

Pilot's supporters also shouted slogans in his favour outside Gandhi's residence here.

While Gehlot is learnt to be leading the race for chief minister's post, Pilot is also putting up stiff resistance and is staking his claim.

Gandhi held a late evening meeting with party's central observer Mallikarjun Kharge, who said that further deliberations will take place tomorrow with state leaders before arriving at a final decision on chief minister.

AICC in-charge of party affairs in Chhattisgarh P L Punia was also present during the meeting with Gandhi.

"The meeting has been postponed for tomorrow. There will be a meeting again tomorrow," Kharge told reporters after meeting Gandhi.

The sources said T S Singh Deo and Bhupesh Baghel have also been called to the national capital from Raipur for discussions with top party leaders.