In Ashok Gehlot vs Sachin Pilot war, Gujarat may turn out to be casualty for Congress

The Ashok Gehlot vs Sachin Pilot tussle in Rajasthan may impact the Congress party's chances in Gujarat. The Congress is already facing a massive challenge from the newcomer Aam Aadmi Party in the state. A divided state unit is likely to exacerbate the party's problems.

One of the major problems for the Congress in Gujarat is that most of the party's observers in the state are from Rajasthan, and almost all of them are Ashok Gehlot's loyalists. The party gives the status of observers to those close to the high command.

In June this year, Congress appointed 37 observers in many poll-bound states, including Gujarat. 23 of these leaders are from Rajasthan, including 13 ministers and 10 MLAs.

Congress had also approved the proposal for the appointment of working presidents of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. Lalit Kagathara, Jignesh Mevani, Rutvik Makwana, Ambarish J Der, Himmatsingh Patel, Kadir Pirzada, and Indravijaysinh Gohil were the working presidents.

Gehlot had also been in charge of the Congress party in Gujarat.

Many of Gehlot's loyalists like Raghu Sharma, Dharmendra Singh Rathore, Lal Chand Kataria are also active in the party's Gujarat unit.

If Gehlot emerges upset with the leadership, it might trigger an adverse reaction among his loyalists in Gujarat.

Earlier this week, over 80 Congress MLAs had submitted their resignation ahead of a proposed meeting where the leaders were likely to discuss the new chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan. The meeting was to discuss Gehlot's replacement as the leader had planned to contest the party's organizational elections as a presidential candidate.

Reports suggest that the MLAs were upset with the possibility of Sachin Pilot becoming the chief minister as he had rebelled against the party in 2020.

Congress party's central observers -- Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken -- intervened and spoke to Gehlot who reportedly told them he had no role in the MLAs' act of defiance.

Gehlot's loyalists demand that the decision regarding Gehlot's replacement should be taken after the internal polls, and a new CM should be among the MLAs, not from the Piot camp.

Congress has sought an explanation from the observers. 

Meanwhile, several media reports claimed Ashok Gehlot has bowed out of the Congress presidential race.