Ashok Gehlot denies being offered Congress president post

He said that his immediate focus was to fulfill the responsibilities of chief minister of Rajasthan and chief observer in Gujarat for the upcoming assembly elections in the state in December entrusted to him by Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi. “I will try to fulfill both and the focus at the moment is that how the government returns to power in 2023 in Rajasthan,” he said.

Jaipur: Rajasthan chief minister Amid Ashok Gehlot has refuted reports about the Congress top brass deciding to entrust him with the responsibility of new party president. Gehlot while talking to reporters in Jaipur, brushed aside the reports as mere speculations saying that a decision over the new Congress President will be taken by the AICC as per norms.

He said that his immediate focus was to fulfill the responsibilities of chief minister of Rajasthan and chief observer in Gujarat for the upcoming assembly elections in the state in December entrusted to him by Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi. “I will try to fulfill both and the focus at the moment is that how the government returns to power in 2023 in Rajasthan,” he said.

Over reports in section of media connecting his name to the Congress Presidentship, Gehlot said there had been no discussion about it till now. “You should not speculate unless there is an official decision on this,” he said. Significantly, Gehlot had recently rooted for Rahul Gandhi as the next Congress President. Gehlot said that “considering the sentiments of Congress workers across the country, Rahul Gandhi should accept the role”.

"If Rahul Gandhi does not become the party president, it will be a disappointment for the Congressmen in the country. Many people will sit at home and we will suffer. Rahul Gandhi should accept this post by himself, understanding the sentiments of the common Congress people in the country," said Gehlot. The chief minister said even within the party, there is an opinion in favour of making Rahul the new president.

“The unanimous opinion is in support of his becoming the president. So, I think he should accept it. It is not about Gandhi or non-Gandhi family. It is the organisation's work and no one is becoming a prime minister," he said.