Ashok Gehlot insists on 'forgive and forget' formula, says no differences within Congress on Rajasthan poll tickets

Ashok Gehlot asserts he wants to leave CM post but it's not leaving him; says any decision on top post will be taken by party leadership and will be accepted by all. He credits Sonia Gandhi for making him CM thrice and praises Vasundhara Raje

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday (October 19) said he wants to leave the post of Rajasthan's Chief Minister but it is not leaving him and probably may not leave him in future too, the remarks coming amid a long-running power tussle between him and his former Deputy Sachin Pilot.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Mr. Gehlot asserted there must be something in him that the party high command chose him thrice to lead the State.

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However, he insisted, any decision on the top post in the State will be taken by the leadership going forward and would be acceptable to all.

In the Congress party, he said, those whose names are floated for the chief ministership never become one.

Mr. Gehlot also said his bete noire and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje should not be punished by the BJP because he credited her with saving his government during a rebellion by Congress MLAs in 2020. It would be "injustice" to her, he said.

On the 2020 revolt led by Sachin Pilot, Mr. Gehlot said he has adopted the policy of "forgive and forget" and has moved on. The senior leader asserted he has not opposed giving tickets to Mr. Pilot's supporters for the November 25 Assembly polls.