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Sonia picks Gehlot as Rajasthan CM

Amberish K Diwanji in Jaipur

Rajasthan Congress chief Ashok Gehlot, who led the party to an incredible victory in the recently held assembly elections, was today chosen by party president Sonia Gandhi to head the Congress legislature party, thereby anointing him as the new chief minister of the state. Gehlot did not contest the recent assembly elections, and is a member of Parliament.

In the morning, in true Congress style, the legislators had moved a resolution authorising Gandhi to select the next chief minister. This was announced by senior leader and Congress Working Committee member Madhavrao Scindia, who is in charge of Rajasthan. When the meeting of the legislators began in the afternoon, Gehlot entered the meeting hall along with Scindia and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The others in the race were Parasram Maderna, leader of the opposition in the previous assembly who had moved the resolution inviting Gandhi's intervention in the morning; Shiv Charan Mathur, former chief minister; and Naval Kishore Sharma. Two outside names mentioned were K Natwar Singh, former Union minister and considered extremely close to Sonia Gandhi, and CWC member Rajesh Pilot. However, both have not evinced interest in the post, preferring to stay involved in national politics.

Maderna in fact, was playing on the Jat factor and his seniority. He had reportedly told a gathering of his followers late last night that in the past, he had always bowed to the high command's decision even though he was the most popular leader then.

The Jats have demanded a chief minister from among their ranks (that is, either Maderna or K Natwar Singh), saying they have loyally supported the Congress for the past 50 years and which has never been appreciated.

Said another Congress official, "Balram Jakhar has been specifically sent to pacify Maderna. Jakhar too is a Jat and a relative of Maderna. And Maderna had already accepted the inevitability of Gehlot's accession."

Mathur suffers from the lack of base within the Congress, and was clearly hoping that should there be a stalemate between Gehlot and Maderna, he would emerge as the compromise candidate. In the morning, he made it clear that he would not accept any position other than that of chief minister.

"I have been a chief minister before, and I have my own vision of Rajasthan," he said, "How then can I work under someone else?"

In the morning, various Congress leaders met at the Khasa Kothi hotel, a converted palace, where the Congress leaders who have flown in from New Delhi, met the various legislators to gauge their opinion on who should be the next chief minister.

The leaders were, besides Scindia and Azad, Mohsina Kidwai, Balram Jakhar, Girija Vyas and R L Bhatia.

Said the source, "The leaders met the legislators to take their opinion but they also informed them of madam's choice so that there is no trouble and the vote is unanimous."

Added a Congress official, "Maderna will be offered a senior rank or the post of Vidhan Sabha speaker."

The various young members within the Congress all back Gehlot. "The party needs young blood. Maderna and Mathur are all old people who should be available for advice, but let the youngsters run the government," said a legislator in his 30s and a Gehlot supporter.

Gehlot is also credited with having revitalised the party in the last few years, especially after the debacle in 1993 when the party was under Maderna. Gehlot visited 160 constituencies, and campaigned extensively for the candidates, whereas the other leaders stand accused of sticking to their own constituencies and not going out.

Then there is the fact that Gehlot ensured the maximum number of nominations for his supporters, cutting across various caste lines. Gehlot's clout can be measured from the fact that K Natwar Singh's son was denied a Congress nomination for the Rajasthan elections. And a vast segment of those given tickets are youngsters, some in their 20s, most of whom would feel more comfortable with Gehlot than the elderly Maderna or Mathur.

Yet, the Congress leaders remain worried of any fallout. Many see the next Lok Sabha elections as being only a few months away now and Jats are an influential body in the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The Congress is most desperate to conquer Uttar Pradesh, for which it will have to have the Jats on its side.

Gehlot is a member of Parliament, and was a minister of state in the central government in the governments of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao. In between, he was also the Rajasthan home minister under Mathur for a short period, a fact that the latter never fails to mention.

No one expects any trouble right now, given the huge margin of victory. But the Congress is (in)famous for its infighting, and this must be worrying the high command.

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