Six months after rebellion, AICC does balancing act to rejig Rajasthan unit

Almost six months after a rebellion by then deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan, the party leadership has attempted to strike a balance among various factions in the state in the list of vice presidents, general secretaries and secretaries for Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) announced late on Wednesday.

In the list announced by party general secretary K C Venugopal, a total of 7 vice presidents, 8 general secretaries and 24 general secretaries were announced.

Congress MLAs Ved Prakash Solanki from Chaksu (Jaipur), Gajraj Khatana from Bandikui (Dausa) and Rakesh Pareek from Masuda (Ajmer), who had rebelled from the party along with Pilot and 15 other MLAs, were announced as party general secretaries. Mahendra Singh Khedi, also considered a Pilot loyalist, was announced as one of the secretaries.

Most of the other names indicate a balancing act by the AICC with those considered close to Gehlot, state president Govind Singh Dotasra, Speaker C P Joshi, and regional leaders such as minister Shanti Dhariwal, finding their names on the list.

Talking to The Indian Express, Pilot said, “I congratulate all the people who have been appointed to the PCC Executive body and I am sure they will work hard to strengthen the Congress party in the state.”

Taking to Twitter, CM Gehlot said, “Thanks to the Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi for the Executive of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee. Heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all the newly formed executive officers…”