New Delhi: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday asked the party strategists to go into overdrive so that the Rajasthan crisis can be resolved swiftly and smoothly. “We have already got down to work. Plan B is in operation and will be completed soon,” a senior AICC functionary said on condition of anonymity after Sonia discussed the issue with senior leaders KC Venugopal, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Ajay Maken for three hours.
The crisis surfaced on Sunday as over 90 MLAs loyal to Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot threatened to resign if a person from their camp was not installed as a replacement for the veteran, who had been asked by Sonia Gandhi to file papers for the post of next party president. “Gehlot ji’s slate was clean but he committed a big blunder. He may now end up losing both the positions,” the AICC functionary said.
According to sources, Plan B involves lining up a suitable replacement for Gehlot as the next party chief and also a suitable person to lead the party’s government in Rajasthan. In that line the names of AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik and former union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde were being discussed in hush tones, the sources said, adding that there may be a dark horse in the race for the top party post as well.
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Party insiders said keeping in mind that the majority of the MLAs are with Gehlot, a few senior ministers from his camp may be expelled in order to send a strong message to the others. In particular, Gehlot confidante and minister Shanti Dhariwal, who mobilised the rebel MLAs, could face the axe, the sources said.
To begin with, sources in Rajasthan Congress said, show cause notices may be issued to Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi and Dhariwal asking them why they committed "anti-party" acts by calling a parallel meeting alongside the official CLP meeting called by the high command on Monday. To mention, Dhariwal clarified on Monday that he was a "disciplined soldier" and has never flouted any disciplinary norms in his 50-year-long political career.
Dhariwal was speaking to the media after Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken termed the unofficial meeting called at his residence an indisciplined act. Meanwhile, Congress is simultaneously putting efforts to win over the rebel MLAs to ensure that they toe the AICC line. “If we decide to get something done, there are ways to do it by hook or crook,” said a senior strategist involved in resolving the Rajasthan crisis.
The summoning of veteran Kamal Nath by Sonia Gandhi to help resolve the crisis was an indication that the skills of the Madhya Pradesh chief and a known troubleshooter would be utilised to counter the Gehlot camp. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath faced dissent from the camp of the party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in 2020, which led to the fall of the Congress government.
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The veteran had helped the high command resolve many crises during the previous UPA government and was also drawn when the G23 led by Ghulam Nabi Azad had urged Sonia Gandhi to hold internal polls in 2020. “We have seen many CLP meetings in which the lawmakers literally fought with each other. But what happened in Jaipur when the rebels held a parallel meeting smacked of a plan to split the state unit,” said a senior party leader.
The party managers acknowledged that they had a lot of gaps to cover over a short period of time as the nomination for the next party president ends on September 30. “If someone dares the high command, there would be action. We hope to wrap up the issue as soon as possible but are cautious not to do anything which further adds to the crisis. The next 24 hours are going to be crucial,” said the AICC functionary. “Maybe Pilot gets his due or maybe a new, neutral face is brought in by the high command. We are also guessing at this point,” he added.
