New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is focused on strengthening the organization ahead of the 2023 Rajasthan assembly polls and has asked the new AICC in charge of state Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to review the preparations for the next year’s elections on December 28.
"I will be in Jaipur on December 28. The focus is on strengthening the organisation and ensuring coordination between the party and the government. PCC delegates and local body heads will also attend the meeting. The district and block level panels have to be formed,” Randhawa told ETV Bharat.
Though Randhawa got the responsibility at a time when the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra was passing through Rajasthan, the veteran is aware of the ongoing power tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot that led to the resignation of his predecessor Ajay Maken.
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"See, this is an internal matter. I did not see any such difference between the two leaders during the yatra. However, any such situation can harm the party. We still have a year for the polls. We will manage to control the situation,” Randhawa said.
December 28 is also the foundation of the Congress, which is trying to retain power in the state where the people usually change governments every five years. “This is the start of preparatory meetings for the next year’s polls. We will review the government programs and see how many of our poll promises have been implemented,” said Randhawa.
“After the Bharat Jodo Yatra has passed through my home state Punjab, I will start region-wise review meetings in Rajasthan,” he said. Interestingly, while the Gehlot government’s welfare schemes were praised by Rahul Gandhi, the former Congress chief had asked the state leaders to go to the people.
Rahul had asked the state ministers to walk 15 km at least one day a month and listen to the problems of the voters. Rahul, who had a separate two-hour-long meeting with both Gehlot and Pilot before leaving the state, had also pointed out that if the party was able to empower the local leaders and workers, winning the 2023 polls would be easy for the Congress.
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Days before the yatra had entered Rajasthan, the Gehlot-Pilot tussle had been out in the open with the chief making some disparaging remarks against the young leader during a TV interview. He later played down the charges saying such things happened in politics.
On his part, Pilot too showed patience during the yatra but has not given up his ambitions, party insiders said. Interestingly both Gehlot and Pilot have been seeking authority by saying that winning the 2023 elections was important. In light of the recent developments, the Jaipur visit of the new AICC in charge is being talked about within the party.
According to party insiders, both the new president and the new in-charge would take any step forward only after weighing the options carefully as the high command wants to retain both Pilot and Gehlot.
