Ashok Gehlot to file nomination for Congress president post
New Delhi: Now, it's official that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will file his nomination papers for Congress president post. Gehlot announced his decision on Friday after over a day-long consultation with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is leading Bharat Jodo Yatra and currently passing through Kerala.
However, the date of filing the nomination has not yet been announced by Gehlot. It has been learnt that the Rajasthan CM would declare nomination filing date after discussing with his supporters in the state.
As it has been speculated that Gehlot would have to resign prior to filing of nomination papers for party chief post and make ways for his rival Sachin Pilot as the state's new CM, the party insiders have claimed that there is no such plan as of now and both the camps– Gehlot and Pilot – are reaching out to their supporters.
Gehlot, who reached Kochi on Thursday to join the Bharat Jodo Yathra, made the last attempt to persuade Rahul Gandhi for taking the top post, which was out rightly rejected by the Gandhi scion, who made it very clear he will not be in the fray for the top organisational post and any one was free to contest.
After the notification for the party's president post was announced on Thursday, besides Gehlot, names of former union ministers Shashi Tharoor, Kamal Nath, Manish Tewari have also emerged in the list to lead the Grand Old party. Tharoor and Tewari are part of G-23 — a group of Congress leaders, who had sought internal polls and fulltime leadership.
It's probably the first time in the party's presidential poll in over 20 years that no one from Gandhi family has become the default choice for president. The last date of nomination filing is September 30.
Meanwhile, on a question on finding the successor for the CM post in the event of him getting elected, Gehlot said that the issue will be decided by party leader Sonia Gandhi and Ajay Maken, who was in-charge of the organisation in Rajasthan.
In an important move to avoid any embarrassment for the party after Congress leader Gourav Vallabh slammed Tharoor over his probable party president poll bid, the party on Friday urged all its spokespersons and communication department office-bearers to refrain from commenting on any colleague contesting the elections.
According to sources, AICC general secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh has told all spokespersons and office-bearers of the communication department to refrain from making any comment of any kind on any colleague of ours contesting the elections for the post of Congress president.
"We all have our individual preferences but our job is to only highlight that the Congress is the only political party to have a democratic and transparent system in place for election to the post of its president," the sources said.
"A person wanting to contest needs no nod from anybody to do so except from 10 PCC delegates for filing nomination form. The election authority ensures free and fair elections. Spokespersons have to ensure that elections are seen to be free and fair," the sources said.
"If elections have to be held on October 17 so be it. We welcome it. Even so the focus of the entire party organisation should be and indeed is to make the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which has already evoked tremendous response even more of a resounding success," the sources said.
