Amid factionalism in the Rajasthan unit of Congress a new crisis has risen. The authority of the state party president is being challenged by some ministers and party officials. The dispute surfaced during the cabinet meeting of the Ashok Gehlot government on Wednesday night when the party president who is a minister also and a senior minister tangled up.
The Rajasthan Congress is facing factionalism for a long time. Now, two consecutive incidents suggesting that some ministers and party officials are challenging the authority of party president Govind Singh Dotasra.
The first incident took place just 3-4 days ago when Dotasra called for a social media campaign against inflation, but many ministers and party officials did not participate in the campaign. An independent MLA Sanyam Lodha who is supporting Ashok Gehlot had pointed it and raised the question in his tweet that why many ministers have not supported the campaign. He also urged to not weaken the authority of state Congress.
The second incident took place on Wednesday night when Dotasra and Shanti Dhariwal, the senior-most minister in the government tangled up on the issue of vaccination. The clash was such that both were seen arguing vigorously even after the meeting and fellow ministers had to intervene. Reports say that Dotasra was heard saying that you have to follow the directions as I am the party president, while Dhariwal was heard saying that I am not bound to obey your orders. Sources in the party said that Doatsara is planning to report this incident to the party high command.
Dotasra was appointed on the post during the political crisis of the Gehlot government last July. He took over from Sachin Pilot and was nowhere in the race for this post as was considered junior in the party.
