Aspirants Never Become CM: Ashok Gehlot Takes Jibe At Sachin Pilot, Expresses Desire To Retain Sitting MLAs

During his third term in power, spanning five years, Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has consistently demonstrated that, for him, the best defense is a good offense, Indian Express reported.

Recently, amid the controversy surrounding the party's candidate list for Rajasthan, the only state facing elections where the Congress has yet to announce its choices, Gehlot made a calculated move. This move hinted that ruling him out as a candidate for Chief Minister, should the party return to power, might be premature.

While carefully inserting caveats and disclaimers to leave room for maneuvering, Gehlot took a jab at those openly vying for the CM position, emphasising that such aspirations rarely lead to success within the Congress.

“I was not a candidate for the CM post. And in the Congress, it is better not to be an aspirant. One who is an aspirant, never becomes CM,” he said.

He raised the issue of his rival, Sachin Pilot, and argued that, although he wishes to step down from the top post, it seems the post is not ready to leave him, and it might not in the foreseeable future.

The context for this statement was Gehlot's press conference at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, where he was involved in meetings to finalise the party's candidate list. One significant reason for the delay in announcing the names was Gehlot's objection to sidelining certain Congress MLAs, including several of his Cabinet ministers.

The Congress is believed to have made repeated promises to Sachin Pilot, who felt entitled to the CM post after the 2018 victory, assuring him that he would eventually assume the role.

Despite the feathers he was ruffling, Gehlot appeared relaxed, infusing his statement with political anecdotes and dialogues. When asked about the delay in releasing the Congress list and whether it resulted from internal disputes, he downplayed the issue, suggesting that the absence of infighting over names was a concern for the party's rivals.

Gehlot also addressed concerns regarding Sachin Pilot's influence, "All the decisions that are being taken are taken after consultations with everyone… All those who are supporters of Pilot, I am intervening on their behalf in all the decisions. So you can imagine how smoothly decisions are being taken. Only the BJP should be worried, no one else.”

Regarding whether he would support rebel MLAs from 2020, including Pilot, Gehlot advocated a "forgive and forget" policy, emphasising that the main criterion for candidate selection was their potential to win.

When asked if he would continue as CM if the Congress retained power, Gehlot recounted a conversation with an elderly woman who wished he would become CM for the fourth time. He humorously expressed his desire to leave the position but noted that the position seemed reluctant to let him go.

Gehlot clarified that his comments were in a lighthearted vein, reaffirming his trust in the party's leadership and emphasising his commitment to support Rahul Gandhi.

As for the prospect of denying tickets to 30 per cent of sitting MLAs, Gehlot stated that such decisions should be based on alternatives or allegations of corruption against the MLAs. He argued that if they were corrupt, they would have accepted bribes to topple his government in 2020.

Regarding Vasundhara Raje, Gehlot suggested that the BJP should not penalise her for supporting his government during the 2020 rebellion. He viewed it as an injustice to her. These statements may not sit well with Raje's detractors, who accuse her of being too friendly toward Gehlot.