Congress high command closely monitors Rajasthan factionalism, aiming to strengthen party organisation and unity.
NEW DELHI: The Congress high command is keeping a close eye on factionalism in Rajasthan, as the party lost the last election due to internal divisions. This time, the high command is trying to control factionalism in Rajasthan, where the party is strong in terms of organisation. The existing team is being strengthened to curb factionalism effectively. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is personally engaged in campaigns to control factionalism in weaker states.
Rajasthan’s state in charge, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, recently held a meeting with state leaders in Delhi to gather information about the state’s situation. State President Govind Singh Dotasra, MLA party leader Tikaram Jully, incharge co-secretary Chiranjeev Rao, Rutvik Makwana, and Punam Paswan attended the meeting. These leaders submitted the state’s report to the party’s national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Saturday.
After meeting Kharge, the leaders shared details about ongoing campaigns and programmes being run by the party organisation in Rajasthan. Pending appointments in the state were also discussed. The high command emphasised further strengthening the state organisation. Gandhi may soon meet the state leaders personally.
Rajasthan is currently the only state where most district and city committees have been formed. Block committees will be announced soon. The remaining 13 districts, including Ajmer and Barmer, will also get new presidents shortly. The team of Dotasra and Jully is successfully mounting a strong front against the state government. However, National General Secretary Sachin Pilot and his faction are trying to convince the high command to let them become active again in the state.
The high command remains unconvinced by their activism and has asked Pilot to focus on his responsibility in Chhattisgarh, where he is the in charge. Pilot’s activism in Rajasthan is seen as promoting factionalism. During his recent visit to Jaipur, Kharge gave clear instructions to Pilot’s supporters to avoid lobbying and making controversial statements. Factionalism in Rajasthan Congress is well known.
On one side is the bloc led by former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and on the other is Pilot’s faction. The conflict is largely centred around the post of state president. Gandhi has indicated several times that there is no need for change in the state leadership, as both appointments were made by him. Dotasra was appointed president by Gandhi after Pilot was sacked five years ago. Pilot had rebelled against the Gehlot government in 2020 along with some MLAs but failed to topple the government.
Following this, he was removed from the post of state president. Although Sachin is now trying to mend fences, a comeback in state politics appears difficult. Gandhi is not in favour of changing the current appointments. Congress is focusing on strengthening organisations where they are working well and focusing on weaker states where leaders are inactive. Consequently, Rajasthan has been kept away from programmes like organisational creation.
