Rajasthan Congress crisis: Ajay Maken’s ‘conflict of interest’ response to Gehlot faction’s demands

MLAs loyal to Ashok Gehlot have put forward three conditions for a party resolution. Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken termed the conditions “conflict of interest”.

A day after 82 Congress MLAs submitted their resignations, triggering a crisis in the party’s Rajasthan unit, senior Congress leader Ajay Maken hit out at the Ashok Gehlot faction. Those loyal to CM Ashok Gehlot have demanded that the next chief ministerial candidate should be decided after the Congress presidential poll. Congress-in-charge Ajay Maken slammed the MLAs, calling the conditional resolution a “conflict of interest”.

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The MLAs loyal to Gehlot had submitted their resignation letters ahead of a legislature party meeting called by central party observers, Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge. There was speculation that discussion on the next Rajasthan CM would be discussed at the meeting. However, 82 MLAs resigned ahead of the meeting.

Ajay Maken said their decision to hold a parallel meeting while the legislature party meeting was set to be held amounted to indiscipline.

"Resolution should not have any conflict of interest. Those who are contesting elections and tomorrow become party president, they get to decide on the resolution and this is a conflict of interest. So, it is wrong," he said without naming Gehlot.

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Ajay Maken, who along with Mallikarjun Kharge, was Congress observer in Rajasthan will meet party chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi and submit a report on the crisis in Rajasthan Congress.