JAIPUR: Still smarting from the rout in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress stares at a deepening crisis in Rajasthan with the shadow power tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot threaten to split the party down the middle in the state.
Such is the extent of instability that has gripped the state party unit that even ministers and sitting legislators are in a dilemma on who calls the shots.
While the feud between the Pilot and Gehlot camps is getting steady traction in the media, the rival factions have sought to blame each other for the current pass.
Todabheem MLA Prithviraj Meena, who went public asking Pilot to named chief minister instead of Gehlot, has been issued a show cause notice by the All-India Congress Committee (AICC).
It has also issued advisory asking leaders not to make statements in the media or social media that could hurt the party.
“Meena was served a show cause notice to speaking against Ashok Gehlot. Everyone in the party has been asked to not make comments that sully its image,” Avinash Pandey, AICC general secretary and the state in-charge, said.
“Such is the situation now that if we meet people from one camp, the other thinks we’re getting too close to the former. This sense of insecurity is sowing division in the ranks in the run-up to the assembly elections. It had also led to ill-advised ticket distribution, which cost the party 25 Lok Sabha seats,” the Congress leader said.
Trouble brewing for Congress in Jharkhand
Ahead of assembly elections in Jharkhand later this year, trouble seems to be brewing for the Congress.
The party leadership is to carry out an assessment of the party’s debacle in Lok Sabha election.
Sources said the party is in bad shape and it is seemingly difficult to revive it with the state polls round the corner.
Adding to the party’s trouble is ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s decision to contest the polls on its own.