Gehlot stays, Vyas goes

Rajasthan may soon have two deputy chief ministers, along with a new chief of the Pradesh Congress Committee, to replace Girja Vyas. After t...

Rajasthan may soon have two deputy chief ministers, along with a new chief of the Pradesh Congress Committee, to replace Girja Vyas. After two extensive meetings with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot left for Jaipur today, reassured that he, for one, would not be replaced.

While the candidates for these posts have not been decided yet, it is believed that representation would be given to leaders from Jat, Rajput and Brahmin communities. The names doing the rounds are of Kamla (a Jat leader), Gulab Singh Shekawat (Rajput) and Nawal Kishore Sharma (Brahmin).

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Meghalaya polls: Congress to go it alone
New Delhi: The Congress will enter alone in the Meghalaya assembly elections on February 28, where it is an ally in the NCP-led government in the state. This was announced by the party on Wednesday while declaring the list of candidates for the polls. Among the list of 60 candidates figure the former chief ministers of the state D.D. Lapang and Salaseng C. Marak. While Lapang will be contesting from Nongpoh seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes, Marak has been fielded from Resubelpara seat, AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes said. Other prominent candidates includes W.K. Kyndiah, J.D. Rymbai, Deborah Marak and Mukul Sangma. — ENS

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Saying that the names will be announced ‘‘shortly’’, Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy said: ‘‘Sonia Gandhi may announce some changes in Rajasthan at the organisational and governmental levels.’’

‘‘But I am not saying that the Chief Minister is getting replaced,’’ he added. Reddy said the changes suggest that the toning up of the party apparatus ‘‘was not restricted to Maharastra’’ alone. While it was being expected that the axe may fall on Gehlot, in view of the November elections, the party seems to have decided against changing the leadership in the run up to the polls.

Sources say PCC chief Girja Vyas, a Brahmin, may be replaced by another Brahmin leader like Nawal Kishore Sharma. However, the Congress is also keeping in mind the recent appointment of Vasundhara Raje, a Rajput, by the BJP as the Rajasthan party unit chief.

In which case, sources add, the posts of the proposed two deputy chief ministers may go to Kamla and Gulab Singh Shekawat.

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The party’s dismal performance in the three recent bypolls in the state has raised questions on the Congress’ preparedness for the coming elections. Another matter of concern has been the recent debacle in Gujarat and the BJP’s plans to repeat the ‘‘Modi-line’’ in other states going to polls.