Jaipur, May 27: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan is facing an internal turmoil after the party's flop show in Lok Sabha polls in the state. Two Congress ministers asked the state leadership to fix accountability, while one reportedly stepped down. The Congress party neither confirmed nor denied resignation of its minister. The crisis comes amid Rahul Gandhi's insistence to quit as Congress President.
State ministers Udai Lal Anjana and Ramesh Meena said the party should review its electoral defeat in detail and fix responsibility. "The results were beyond expectations. Voters were swayed by the issue of nationalism raised by the BJP. Our leaders, too, made full efforts, but it was not acceptable to the people," Anjana told reporters. Meanwhile, a "press release" is being circulated on social media saying minister Lal Chand Kataria has quit.
According to the "press release", Kataria, known to be a loyalist of Ashok Gehlot, said he considered it morally inappropriate to continue as Minister after the party's defeat. "This resignation should not be connected to any other factor," the "press release" read. Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 24 seats. The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party bagged one remaining seat. Rahul Gandhi Unmoved by CWC's Rejection of His Resignation, Wants to Quit as Congress President at Earliest: Report.
The development comes two days after Rahul Gandhi chided senior leaders of the party for the Congress debacle in the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress won a total of 52 Lok Sabha seats, winning none in Rajasthan and just one in Madhya Pradesh where it is in power. Congress in MP, Rajasthan See Cracks Post Lok Sabha Polls Debacle, Fingers Raised at Kamal Nath And Ashok Gehlot.
Gandhi is believed to have said that Congress Chief Ministers Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath were eager to give ticket to their sons although the party President was not very keen on the idea as he felt that they had a bigger role to play in campaigning.
While Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath won from Chhindwara, Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot tasted defeat in Jodhpur. Gandhi reportedly said that Ashok Gehlot campaigned in Jodhpur for a week, ignoring the other tasks of the party. In a snub, Gandhi on Monday refused to meet Gehlot.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2019 08:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).