Congress general secretary Ajay Make has resigned as in-charge of state affairs, reportedly complaining about persisting inaction on the boycott of the legislative party meeting in Jaipur on September 25 by the loyalists of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Over 90 MLAs loyal to Mr Gehlot had refused to attend a critical party meeting. They had gone instead to the Speaker to hand in their resignation in protest against the possibility of Mr Gehlot being replaced by his rival Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan if he ran for Congress president.
Mr Maken expected the party to take action against the MLAs, but no such thing has happened, which contributed to his decision to quit as the Congress’s Rajasthan in-charge.
In the resignation letter, Ajay Maken said, “Wedded to the ideology of Congress for the last three generations and being in active Congress politics for over 40 years, I will always remain an ardent follower of Rahul Ji, whom I trust and have faith in beyond words.”
He also stated he wants to concentrate work in Delhi through trade unions and non-profits and plans to raise the issue of air pollution; the rights of street vendors and slum dwellers, for whom he made “specific valuable contributions” as a union minister as well as a state minister.
He asked the party to appoint a new Rajasthan in-charge before the first week of December when the Bharat Jodo Yatra is due to enter the state. There is also a by-election on December 4.
After Gehlot announced his decision to contest the high-stakes Congress presidential election, the CLP meeting was called. But the chief minister was keen to continue for some more time, at least his election as the Congress president. But the high command was glad that he stepped down and made way for a new leader before filing his nomination papers.
Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam, a Pilot supporter close to Priyanka Gandhi, targeted the Gehlot camp after Maken’s resignation, saying it is a ” big lesson for all those leaders who blackmail and insult the party high command to save their seats”. MLA Ved Prakash Solanki of the Pilot camp termed Maken’s resignation as a “matter of shame” for Congress.
Mr Maken’s resignation also comes just two weeks after Mr Pilot called for an end to the air of political uncertainty in Rajasthan, seeking action against MLAs loyal to Mr Gehlot.
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