Rajasthan: Speculation rife over CM Ashok Gehlot cabinet reshuffle next week

JAIPUR: There is intense speculation of cabinet reshuffle next week.
AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal and general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken met chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday night to give final touches to the rejig, appointment of district presidents of the party and other political appointments. PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra was also present in the meeting. MLAs and PCC members will greet Venugopal and Maken at the PCC office on Sunday at 10.30am.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot had met both the leaders during his Delhi visit a few days ago and pressed for expediting the process.
A couple of days ago, Pilot had indicated that the Congress leadership would take suitable steps soon to address issues raised by him.
“Punjab crisis has been a lesson for the Congress. It allowed the crisis to pester and blown on its face before the elections. Now, the crisis has been resolved with the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as PCC president. The Congress leadership wanted to set its house in order in Rajasthan to avoid a repeat of Punjab in Rajasthan,” sources indicated.
According to sources, the committee comprising Venugopal and Maken had finalised the list of probable names for inclusion in the ministry and will meet the chief minister with the names for his consensus. The committee was constituted after last year’s political crisis in the state triggered by the revolt of Pilot to look in to his grievances and political accommodation of the MLAs and leaders loyal to him in government and party. According to sources, since the chief minister was advised to avoid travel by doctors due to health reasons, the Congress president sent Venugopal to Jaipur give final touches to the cabinet reshuffle which was pending for a long time. At present, there are nine vacancies in the council of ministers.
The party may appoint some parliamentary secretaries as well to accommodate the Independents supporting the government and the former BSP MLAs merged with Congress.
The dispute was mainly on the names from the Pilot group as Gehlot refused to recognise such a faction and was wooing MLAs from the Pilot group towards him. But Pilot has been insisting on inclusion of at least four MLAs from his group as was the strength earlier. Pilot and two of his supporters were sacked from the ministry while transport minister Pratap Singh Kachariyawas, considered from his camp switched side to the chief minister’ camp. Thus, Pilot faction had four ministers including himself in the ministry earlier.