All's well that ends well: Congress says Rajasthan crisis a closed chapter
New Delhi: The Congress said Tuesday that the crisis in Rajasthan is a "closed chapter" and all legislators supporting its government will work towards strengthening Rajasthan and fighting COVID-19 and other economic calamities.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala credited former party chief Rahul Gandhi for his vision in helping resolve the crisis in Rajasthan, after he intervened and assured rebel Sachin Pilot and MLAs close to him of redressal of their grievances.
"It is a close chapter and I would not like to comment further on the same. I would only say, we will all work together including Pilot and all the 18 MLAs who have gone, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
"All our legislators as also those who were supporting our Government will work in strengthening Rajasthan and in fighting COVID and other economic calamities and as they say - 'All's well that ends well'," he told reporters.
Surjewala said after yesterday's meeting of Pilot with Gandhi, in whose leadership he reposed complete and total faith, he has resolved to work with the Congress government in Rajasthan and for strengthening the party in the state, along with all the MLAs who were temporarily annoyed.
The Congress leader said the entire country witnessed as to how after 30 days the political events of Rajasthan have come to a close.
This, he said, is indeed a victory for the 8 crore Rajasthanis as also all the Congress legislators and well-wishers.
He said this was made possible by the vision and belief of Gandhi in carrying all Congress leaders together bereft of any differences of opinion that they may have.
The resolution of the crisis was also helped by the cooperation and assistance given by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress leader said, thanking Gehlot for showing maturity.
"This is also a befitting reply to BJP and its conspirators who despite having been rejected by the people of Rajasthan, were seeking to form a BJP government despite being in minority," he said.
Surjewala said the BJP is "badly divided" into various groups that they could not call a meeting of the legislature party and finally called three chartered planes to take their MLAs away.
On the exchange of language during the crisis, Surjewala admitted that some "hot words" were exchanged and some bitterness was caused.
The political crisis in Rajasthan Congress ended on Monday after a meeting of Pilot with Gandhi and later the MLAs met top Congress leaders and were assured that their grievances would be redressed in a time-bound manner.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also announced the formation of a three-member Committee that would hear the grievances of rebel leaders.
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Leadership issue: Everyone will welcome if Kharge becomes K'taka CM, says Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said everyone in the ruling Congress party will welcome if AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior politician with a lot of experience, becomes the chief minister of the state.
He also asserted that fulfilling the promise of "good governance" made to the people of the state was important, amid the ongoing internal politics and confusion within the party regarding the chief minister change issue.
The statements have come amid speculation within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for Assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two Assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
"If he (Kharge) becomes (the CM) we will be very happy, because he is a senior politician with a lot of experience. If he becomes CM, we will all welcome it," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question whether Kharge himself has a desire to become the CM.
When asked why Kharge, who is from Karnataka, has not been decisive in resolving the state's leadership issue and whether he was postponing the issue because he wants a Dalit to become the CM, the home minister said, "We don't have much information on the CM change matter appearing in the media, at least I'm not aware of it. So it is not right to speak on it."
The Congress high command will decide whatever they have to, as they are aware of everything in the state. "We are fortunate to have Kharge, who is from the state, as the AICC president," he said.
Kharge is highly experienced and he is aware of everything about the state's politics as he has personally experienced it. "He knows everything and there is no need for us to tell him. I will not say much," he added.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025. The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
Regarding senior Congress MLA K N Rajanna's statement demanding a "Dalit CM", Parameshwara himself a senior Dalit leader in the party, said, "Let's not speak about it. I don't want to unnecessarily get into that. Without knowing things, let's not comment on them."
Parameshwara downplayed the ministers' visit to Delhi, stating that it is a common thing, mostly concerning official matters. "Whenever we go to Delhi, we will also visit the AICC office and meet our national leaders," he said.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa on Monday met Kharge and general secretary (in charge of Karnataka) Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi and reportedly requested them to address the leadership issue. Both Jarkiholi and Mahadevappa are considered close to Siddaramaiah.
On the expectation that the Congress high command will put an end to confusion on the leadership issue by May 15, the home minister said, "More than anything, we have promised the people of the state that we will give good governance. Fulfilling that is important. Internal politics and confusions will always be there."
MLAs and leaders who want Shivakumar to be elevated as CM have recently claimed they expect some "sweet news" by May 15, which is their leader's birthday.
Regarding plans to hold the AHINDA convention in Hubballi to mark 25 years of the AHINDA movement, the home minister said, the movement was aimed at the welfare of its communities and the convention has to happen to resolve the issues they face.
AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) is considered as the strong support base of Siddaramaiah and also the Congress party.
