After Cabinet expansion, now Rajasthan unit rejig is next in Congress' agenda

The 11 cabinet-rank and four ministers of state (MoS) sworn in by Governor Kalraj Mishra included five considered to be in the Pilot camp.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress leader Sachin Pilot ( File Photo | PTI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress leader Sachin Pilot ( File Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Days after the Cabinet expansion in Rajasthan, deliberations over a rejig of the Congress organization at the state and district levels were held here on Wednesday involving senior leaders.

Sources said some appointments of district chiefs are likely to be made soon.

While former Rajasthan chief minister Sachin Pilot and state Congress chief Govind Dotasra met here, Dotasra held a separate meeting with AICC general secretary in charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken.

Interacting with reporters after meeting Maken, Dotasra said, "I think district presidents will be appointed in two phases. As soon as the high command gives its approval, the appointments in the first phase will be made."

"Discussions have taken place on about half the districts of the state. Efforts will be made soon for the rest of the districts as well."

He said the decision would be taken keeping in mind the caste and regional equations.

After he met with Dotasra, Pilot said in the coming days, the organization will be expanded and everyone will work together so that in 2023, a Congress government is formed again with a thumping majority.

Dotasra had also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday.

Fifteen ministers took the oath in Rajasthan on Sunday in a cabinet expansion that included 12 new faces, fulfilling a key demand of Pilot.

The 11 cabinet-rank and four ministers of state (MoS) sworn in by Governor Kalraj Mishra included five considered to be in the Pilot camp.

The Rajasthan cabinet on Wednesday held its first meeting after the newly-inducted council of ministers took charge of their portfolios.

The cabinet decided that ministers would take up departmental review meetings thrice a week and the minister in-charge of districts would visit at least two days every month.

During their visit to the respective districts, ministers will hold public hearings and take feedback of the problems there, effective implementation of state government schemes and programmes with the public representatives and review them with the district administration.

The minister will effectively monitor the campaigns, programmes, and flagship schemes of the state government, implementation of public manifesto and budget announcements and decisions made by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot during his visits to the districts.

Gehlot held a meeting with the new council of ministers at his residence in the state capital.

The Council of Ministers also held detailed discussions on the proposed inauguration and foundation stone of various projects and development work ahead of completion of three years of the tenure of the state government on December 17.

It was decided that all the ministers would go to the districts to take stock of the projects.

The cabinet decided that a state-wide campaign against food adulteration would be started from January 1, 2022.

The success of the campaign will be ensured till the grassroots level, so that the common man can be saved from consuming adulterated food items.

It was informed in the meeting that the state government is going to organise 'Invest Rajasthan' on January 24 and 25 to attract investments and speed up industrial development of the state.

The event will go a long way in helping the state's economy to come out of the adverse effects of COVID-19 and encourage economic activities.

The Council of Ministers emphasised that it is necessary to maintain vigilance and continuous adherence to COVID discipline to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, asserting that the BJP's saffron flag will soon fly high in Rajasthan, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Wednesday said that under the leadership of Prime minister Narendra Modi, the party will gain victory in the state in the next assembly elections.

Raje also said the BJP will return to power in the Centre even after the 2024 general elections under PM Modi's leadership.

On a four-day tour to six Rajasthan districts, Raje, addressing programmes in Udaipur and Rajsamand districts, said, "Those who are trying to call this programme political, I would like to tell them that the time to come belongs to the BJP. The BJP flag will soon unfurl in Rajasthan."

Raje on Wednesday visited Charbhuja Nath, Dwarkadhish, Eklingji and Nathdwara in Udaipur and Rajsamand and addressed her supporters who gathered in large numbers to welcome her.

The former chief minister said she had started Parivartan Yatra in 2003 from Charbhuja Nath temple and got the blessings and the party won 120 seats in the 2003 assembly elections.

"When we started Suraj Sankalp Yatra from Charbhuja Nath, the BJP got 163 seats in 2013 which no party had got before in the history of Rajasthan," she added.

During her visits, the former CM also paid condolences to the family members of former lawmakers, including former minister Kiran Maheshwari in Udaipur, former MP Mahavir Bhagora and former mayor Govind Singh and the brother Tank MLA Dharam Narayan Joshi, who died during the Covid pandemic.

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