BJP's Amit Malviya claimed on Thursday that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is on the "path of rebellion" from the Congress as he shared a short video of him in which he is seen praising the work of public sector undertaking Coal India and some decisions of Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi. The video shows the veteran Congress leader addressing an event. "Make no mistake. Gehlot is on the path of rebellion. After inviting Gautam Adani, despite Rahul Gandhi's derision, he now heaps fulsome praise on Coal India and minister Pralhad Joshi, for helping Rajasthan at critical times. This is in sharp contrast to Congress's belligerence," BJP's IT department head Malviya claimed. The three-time Rajasthan chief minister has been a vocal critic of the BJP but he appeared to have strained his ties with the Congress leadership after his loyalist MLAs held a separate meeting in Jaipur in defiance of the party's directive for a meeting of the legislative party. It was then believed that Gehlot will contest the Congress presidential poll with the tacit support of the Gandhi family, and a new leader will replace him at the helm in Rajasthan. However, the turn of events resulted in the party leadership nudging Mallikarjun Kharge to contest the poll, where Shashi Tharoor is also in the fray, with suspense continuing over Gehlot's fate as chief minister. Assembly polls are due in Rajasthan in the second half of 2023.
