Rajasthan crisis resolved: after 36 hours of high drama, Ashok Gehlot set to be Rajasthan CM, Sachin Pilot deputy CM

After high drama at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, over 36 hours of several rounds of meetings, protests in parts of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot’s name was announced as the chief minister of Rajasthan. Gehlot has been chief minister of Rajasthan twice. According to some reports, Sachin Pilot will be the deputy CM.

Despite the Congress repeatedly saying that youngsters will be given opportunities and greater responsibilities, the top brass could not take risk in appointing the CMs in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, it was clear from the moves.

Gehlot is a senior party strategist and clearly, the senior Congress leadership, including the party president Rahul Gandhi chose not to offend him by offering the top job in Rajasthan to Sachin Pilot. But Pilot was quite persistent as he had told the senior Congress leaders that he had worked hard for the party had even moved to Rajasthan.

There have been protests from groups supporting Sachin Pilot, who eventually appealed to his supporters – through a tweet – asking them to remain calm. Last night, Ashok Gehlot was called back by senior party leaders from the Delhi airport where he had reached in order to take a flight back to Jaipur, Rajasthan. Apparently, he had been told by the party leadership that he would be named the CM. But things turned rather complex as Pilot was persistent about his keenness in taking up the top job.

But apparently, all ended well with Rahul Gandhi tweeting a photograph of Gehlot, Pilot and himself with the words, “The United Colours of Rajasthan.”

Meanwhile, Kamal Nath has been named the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh after a similar – though less lengthy – process of arguments and counter-arguments figured in discussions to select the CM with the other contender being Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The decision on the Chhattisgarh CM hasn’t been taken so far – and the contenders are TS Singh Deo and Bhupesh Baghel.