JAIPUR: As the Congress prepares to choose the new leader of the Opposition, the party continues to be caught in infighting over losing the assembly elections. A meeting of the legislature party has been called in Jaipur on Tuesday.
A day earlier, Sachin Pilot raised questions about the leadership of former CM Ashok Gehlot after his officer on special duty, Lokesh Sharma, held the CM responsible for the party’s loss and misleading the Congress leadership.
Names of many party leaders are in circulation over the post of the Leader of Opposition. Apart from Pilot, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, Shanti Dhariwal, Narendra Budhania and Hari Mohan Sharma are among the strong contenders.
Factionalism within the state Congress is being considered as a major reason for the party’s defeat. As the party gears up for the selection of the CLP candidate, Pilot questioned the party’s “customs.” On the statement of CM Gehlot’s officer on special duty Lokesh Sharma, Pilot said, “I have seen it. The statement is surprising because it is from the CM’s officer on special duty. It is also a matter of concern. It is hoped that the party will pay attention to why he (Sharma) said so.”
He said the reasons for the party’s defeat have to be found and “we have to go back among the people to understand it.” On the question of losing due to new faces not getting responsibility in the party, Pilot said, “Whatever I wanted to say, I have said so on the party platform. The people have given us the responsibility of sitting in the opposition. We have done this before too. LS polls are not far... So, whatever we have to say, we’d do on the party platform.”
“I am hurt by the results, but not surprised. The Congress could undoubtedly have changed the customs in Rajasthan, but Gehlot never wanted it. This is not the party’s defeat but of Gehlot,” Sharma wrote on a social media platform.