Misunderstanding in Cong should be forgiven, forgotten for moving forward: Ashok Gehlot
Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Thursday that whatever was the "misunderstanding" in the Congress party, it should be "forgiven and forgotten" for moving forward.
The Congress crisis in Rajasthan appears to have ended with the intervention of top leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who met rebel leader Sachin Pilot earlier this week.
Pilot had openly rebelled against Gehlot last month along with 18 other Congress MLAs. He was then sacked as deputy chief minister and the party's Rajasthan chief.
"Whatever misunderstanding occurred in the party in the last one month, we need to forgive and forget in the interest of the country, the state, the people and in the interest of democracy," Gehlot said in a tweet.
"We have to put all our energies in this fight to save democracy with the spirit of forgive and forget and move forward," he wrote on Twitter.
The Rajasthan Chief Minister claimed a "very dangerous" game to undermine the democracy is going on in the country. The struggle of the Congress is to save democracy under the leadership of the party president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, he said.
"Save democracy should be our priority with the spirit of forgive and forget. The conspiracy that is going on to topple elected governments one by one in the country, the way governments were toppled in the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and other states.
"How ED, CBI, Income Tax, the judiciary have been misused, it is a very dangerous game that is going on to undermine democracy," Gehlot said in a series of tweets.
Ahead of the Assembly session beginning Friday, the dissidents MLAs have reached Jaipur following the intervention of the Congress high command on Monday.
The MLAs in the Gehlot camp were on Wednesday flown back to Jaipur from Jaisalmer, where they were together at another hotel.
They were taken straight from the airport to the Fairmont hotel on the outskirts of the city, where they had stayed before being moved to Jaisalmer. The MLAs mostly from the Congress and some allies are expected to remain there till the assembly meets on August 14.
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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.
