Rajasthan: Randhawa aims to resolve Gehlot-Pilot conflict

Jaipur: After the two in-charge general secretaries of the Rajasthan Congress resigned due to the conflict between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, new State unit in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has taken the responsibility to resolve the long-pending issue.

Talking to the media in Jaipur on Friday, Mr Randhawa said, “It is my job to resolve the conflict. I don't come to Jaipur to sit in a five-star hotel. My job is to sit with party workers and resolve their issues so that nothing is left for the future.”

Randhawa's feedback exercise

Mr Randhawa has been in Jaipur for the last two days to take feedback from party workers and leaders. He met ministers, MLAs, party candidates of the last assembly and parliament elections, functionaries and the Assembly Speaker. He tried to feel the pulse of both the party organisation and the Government.

According to sources, all sections of workers and leaders and ministers have asked Mr Randhawa to resolve the conflict between the top leaders as it has been hurting the poll prospects. In the presence of Mr Gehlot, a minister said the power struggle needed to end if the party wanted to form a Government again.

Randhawa: Its time to strengthen party

After the feedback exercise, Mr Randhawa said his first target was to make appointments in district, block and state Congress executive of the party and it would be done in two-three days.

“I have not come here to give assembly tickets. It is the time to strengthen the party. Tickets for the election will be given based on the survey,” he said.

Notably, Mr Randhawa is the third Rajasthan Congress in-charge in four years. Mr Avinash Panday had resigned after Mr Pilot rebelled in July 2020. Mr Ajay Maken resigned recently after the mass resignations episode of the Gehlot faction MLAs.