Sonia to saddle Gehlot with a deputy

The post would, in all probabilities, go to either a Jat or Rajput leader. This, the party feels, would help in assuaging the party cadre and consolidate the traditional Congress vote-bank.

Among the names that came up at the meeting were that of veteran Jat leader Kamla, Harinder Mirdha, son of senior Congress leader Ram Niwas Mirdha and Colonel Sona Ram, another Jat leader. The only Rajput name that came up was that of Gulab Singh Shekhawat.

While the party high command earlier thought of replacing Gehlot, who belongs to the Mali community, it now feels that would be a risky step to take in an election year. Besides, the party high command seems to be satisfied with the performance of his government.

A three-member team to assess the implementation of the promises made in the party’s poll manifesto had visited the state last year and submitted a report to Sonia stating that the performance of the government was ‘‘more than satisfactory.’’

Ambika Soni, party general-secretary in-charge of Rajasthan who was part of the team, said, ‘‘We found that the steps taken by the Rajasthan government to deal with drought-affected areas, for electrification of villages etc. were commendable.’’

‘‘In fact, we feel that what the Rajasthan government has done should be replicated in other states that are going to polls so that people know what the Congress has done in the last four years of its rule,’’ Soni said.

Coming out of the meeting with the Congress chief today, Ghelot refused to comment on either the proposal for the post of deputy chief ministership or that of a change in leadership.

‘‘We discussed various programmes that are to be launched ahead of the elections at the block and district levels,’’ he said.