Jaipur: Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has reopened discussion around the Congress presidential election of 2022, rejecting the perception that he preferred to remain Chief Minister instead of taking over as party chief.

Speaking to reporters, Gehlot said the circumstances surrounding the leadership transition had unfairly damaged his image and created the impression that he was unwilling to move to the national role.

Would I have refused the Congress president’s post?’

Recalling the events that unfolded ahead of the Congress presidential election, Gehlot stressed the importance of the party president’s office and said he would not have turned down the opportunity if the leadership had chosen him.

“I know the stature of the Congress President’s post… (Mahatma) Gandhiji has been President, Pandit Nehru, Motilal Nehru has been President, who hasn’t been, Sardar Patel has been party President, if Sonia Gandhi and the Congress were making me the Congress President, would I have refused? The situation was so created that I think it was a big conspiracy. The observers arrived suddenly, and I got defamed. People think that Ashok Gehlot wanted to remain Chief Minister and did not want to become Congress President, so the revolt happened.”

“Even people close to me abroad, they also think the same that Ashok Gehlot wanted to remain Chief Minister; he orchestrated the revolt. How can I explain to them what I am explaining to you? If even now something good comes, you do what I have told you…”

Gehlot rejects role in revolt against Pilot

Gehlot also addressed allegations that he had engineered resistance to a possible elevation of Sachin Pilot as Rajasthan Chief Minister during the political crisis.

“People feel that I wanted to be CM and I orchestrated the revolt. The media spread it. I stayed quiet. I stayed quiet as I had to tell Soniaji that, whether it was a revolt against Pilot or whatever, I don’t have anything (to do). I was the leader of the legislative party, and observers from AICC had come. The coming of AICC observers has significance. It was Kharge Sahab or Ajay Makenji, and I couldn’t get the resolution passed.”

“Although I had said at night to end the meeting for now and we would talk after calling another meeting tomorrow. That situation did not arise for us… so it… so that… didn’t happen… the resolution couldn’t be passed. I went and expressed my regrets before Madam, party has given me everything, this situation arose so I am apologising…”

Rajasthan crisis and the fallout

The controversy dates back to 2022 when Congress was considering a leadership change in Rajasthan ahead of the Assembly elections. Gehlot was widely seen as the frontrunner for the Congress president’s post, while Sachin Pilot was viewed as a potential successor in the state.

The political turmoil led Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to submit a report to then-interim president Sonia Gandhi after efforts to hold consultations with MLAs ran into difficulties.

At the time, Maken said, “Their first proposal was to announce the implementation of the resolution of handing over the final responsibility of appointing the chief minister to the Congress high command and to pass it after October 19.”

“We told them that this raises conflict of interest, as if Gehlot is elected as the Congress president then this proposal will empower him further after October 19 and there can be no bigger conflict of interest than this so we did not do this.”

Referring to the discussions with Gehlot camp leaders, Maken had also said, “However, they did not accept this.”

“Their third condition was that the chief minister should be picked from the 102 MLAs who were loyal to CM Gehlot and not from the Pilot group.”

He added that “the three Gehlot camp supporters insisted on us meeting their three conditions and we told them that their exact sentiments will be conveyed to Congress chief, who will take the decision after talking to CM Ashok Gehlot and everyone else.”

The episode eventually ended with Congress abandoning plans for a leadership change in Rajasthan. Later, Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor to become Congress president in October 2022.