Congress to contest Rajasthan assembly polls minus CM face: Jairam Ramesh

JAIPUR: The state's ruling Congress will contest assembly elections next year without any leader being projected as the chief ministerial candidate, according to Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh.
"There is no doubt that Congress will fight the elections unitedly. Unity will make Congress win the elections, not any one person. Individuals come and go, but the organization is paramount," said Ramesh, accompanied by party colleague Pawan Kheda, to journalists after the lunch break during Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) in Didwana.
Admitting the weaknesses Congress has, Ramesh said BJY is being taken out only to further strengthen the organization. "The purpose of this yatra is not to gain power, but to struggle. When we remained in power for a long time, we forgot something, due to which we became weak, but now we are moving towards strength again," he said.
Replying to a question about the disciplinary action being mooted against three leaders of the state Congress, Ramesh said, "An inquiry is going on. A decision will be taken when the investigation is over."
Rahul Gandhi met farmers in Dausa in the afternoon as per schedule. Representatives of farmers' organisations such as United Kisan Morcha, ERCP Sangharsh Samiti-East Rajasthan and Pradesh Kisan Sangharsh Samiti met discussed with him issues related to agriculture.
They also told Gandhi that insufficient sums of compensation were given to people against the land acquired for the Bharatmala Expressway project, and impressed upon him the need for early implementation of Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, legal guarantee for MSP due to amendments in the 2013 law passed by the previous BJP-led central government.
The farmers' representatives also raised the issue of Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra not giving assent to a Bill passed by the Assembly for improving farmers' lives. Gandhi promised to raise issues like ERCP in parliament and requested CM Ashok Gehlot to resolve state-level issues related to farmers.