The Congress legislature party meet in Jaipur went as per script — noise, infighting, emergence of the anti and pro-Gehlot lobbies and a final agreement on letting the high command decide who will head the CLP in the state.Fifty-six newly elected Congress MLAs met this morning to elect a leader. But under the watchful eye of central observers Ambika Soni and Motilal Vohra, they squabbled, blamed each other for the rout in the Assembly elections. At the end of it all, a cryptic one-line resolution agreeing to let party chief Sonia Gandhi decide on the leader was passed. Following this Soni and Vohra individually met each MLA behind closed doors to figure out their minds.The melodrama began when Sikar MLA Narayan Singh stood up and said that Ashok Gehlot should not stake claim to any post on moral grounds. The minute after he spoke, Gehlot loyalists were up in arms. Sirohi MLA Sayam Lodha protested vehemently, stating that the final decision should be left to Sonia Gandhi. Gehlot’s opposition didn’t take to the idea and Bhanwarlal Sharma led the revolt.Sharma, who is also the head of the Brahmin Mahasabha, also warned that if Gehlot was given any post it would only divide the MLAs. Also calling for Sonia’s resignation, Sharma warned of dire consequences if Gehlot was in the picture. As per Congress tradition, the leader of the CLP will also be the leader of the Opposition. Aware that it is a two-in-one post, the stakes have been raised and the dissent is growing louder. The Brahmin and Jat lobbies are opposing Gehlot tooth and nail. They believe that Gehlot’s approach to the elections was the main reason for the Congress defeat. The Jats have opposed Gehlot from the beginning and feel that the only way to counter the Jat swing in favour of the BJP would be to appoint a Jat leader.
