Former Rajasthan chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Sunday made a claim that stirred political circles, saying that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the party high command wanted him to become the Congress president, but a conspiracy prevented his appointment.
Speaking to reporters, Gehlot said, “Who would not want to become Congress president? When Sonia Gandhi asked me, would I have refused? I believe a conspiracy was hatched against me. I myself wanted to become Congress president.”
Gehlot also responded to repeated references to the Manesar episode by his political opponents. He said it was an internal matter of the Congress and would be resolved within the party through dialogue among its leaders.
“People keep taunting us about Manesar. It is a matter within our family, and we will resolve it among ourselves. Whether it is Sachin Pilot, Govind Singh Dotasra, Tikaram Jully, CP Joshi, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, Chandrabhan, Dr. B.D. Kalla, or any of our other leaders, we will talk to each other and clear any misunderstandings,” he said.
Expressing confidence in the Rajasthan Congress, Gehlot said the party high command has always trusted the state unit. He maintained that Rajasthan Congress leaders could never revolt against the high command.
“There is no alternative to truth. I have presented my side of the story and will continue to do so. People repeatedly ask what happened on September 25, but Rajasthan Congress can never revolt against the high command. History is witness to the trust that Indira Gandhi placed in Rajasthan, and the same trust has been shown by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The high command trusted Rajasthan Congress in the past and continues to do so today,” Gehlot said.
