Gandhis still keen on Gehlot contesting party prez polls, but looks for options; Pilot's CM-Ship hangs in balance

The exoneration of Ashok Gehlot by Congress observers in their report to Sonia Gandhi indicates that the 71-year-old is not out of the race of the Congress president post. While the party high command has deputed some leaders to open channels of communication with Gehlot, it is also looking for an alternate candidate. 

The Indian Express quoted sources saying that senior leaders Anand Sharma and Ambika Puri spoke to Gehlot in a bid to find an amicable solution. Meanwhile, the CM’s bete noire Sachin Pilot was called to Delhi by the Gandhis for a meeting amid the political turmoil and the uncertainty over change of guard in the state.

On Tuesday night, the party issued show-cause notice to three Gehlot loyalists -- Rajasthan ministers Shanti Dhariwal and Mahesh Joshi, and Dharmendra Rathore - for their "grave indiscipline" and asked them to explain within 10 days why action should not be initiated against them.

The action came two days after 82 MLAs participated in a parallel meeting at Dhariwal's residence in Jaipur laying down conditions to the party and did not attend the official legislature party meeting convened for passing a resolution authorising the Congress chief to appoint a successor to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was to contest the Congress presidential election.

Sonia Gandhi was said to be left fuming over the developments that took place in Rajasthan on Sunday, and had asked party observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to submit a written report on the same.

Gehlot has neither been indicted nor given a clean chit in the observers' report. While the leadership still sees him as an option for the party chief position, it is not exploring other alternatives too.  

Sonia, who met Kamal Nath on Monday, held separate meetings with Sharma and Soni on Tuesday. A K Antony, who is in a state of semi-retirement in Kerala, has also been called to the national capital. 

The names of several leaders, such as Mallikarjun Kharge, Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Mukul Wasnik and Sushil Kumar Shinde, are doing the rounds as probable candidates. And, there are indications that a consensus could be reached at the last minute with AICC treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal collecting two sets of nomination papers on Monday.

With the window of filing nominations shrinking, the Congress leadership is said to have stepped up efforts to Gehlot climb down from his position and contest the AICC polls. He is being persuaded to let the decision on the CM be left with Sonia Gandhi.