Left out Congmen should be included in executive: Gehlot

JAIPUR: Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said Congressmen left out while forming the new Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) last week should also be accommodated with responsibilities in the organisation. Gehlot's statement was interpreted by the party men as raising a question mark on the new team formed by PCC chief Sachin Pilot.
Gehlot reacted for the first time after the jumbo-sized team of PCC executives and office-bearers was announced by Pilot on November 29.He spoke to reporters at the PCC headquarters on the sidelines of BR Ambedkar's 58th death anniversary.
"The executive should have all, the young and the old. Our effort should be to take everyone along," Gehlot replied on being told that the youth was given greater representation in the new PCC executive. He stressed, "Those who have been left out should also be inducted because when the party is not in power, our responsibility to work together and keep everyone together to be able to move ahead, increases."
At the same time, the former chief minister mentioned that the PCC president had said that the possibility of expanding the executive existed. "I believe that efforts are being made to take everybody along," Gehlot said.
"Former CM's statement suggests that some party men, who deserved to be in the executive, have been left out. It raises a finger at the composition of the new team," a Congress top leader said.
Former deputy speaker Ram Narayan Meena, too, had expressed similar sentiments before the media early this week. In fact Meena, who could not get a post in the new executive, was more direct in his criticism. The senior Congressman told reporters (on December 4) that Pilot needed to focus on strengthening the party rather than caring to project self as the next CM candidate.
The composition of the new PCC executive had been generating debates in the Congress circles since the beginning of this month. Initially, the missing names of former cabinet ministers Shanti Dhariwal and Brij Kishore Sharma from the new executive left many Congressmen surprised. Gradually, the party men started talking about ex-rebels who got important posts in the new team. Yet another issue cropped up soon after. "PCC chief should have waited until the organisational polls that are take place shortly. As per the party's constitution, Congressmen who get elected as PCC members in the organisational polls can only be appointed in the executive or as office-bearers. Many in the new executive are not PCC members," a Congress veteran said.
Govt did nothing so far: Gehlot
Former CM Ashok Gehlot on Saturday criticised the Vasundhara Raje government's decision to celebrate completion of its one year in power on December 13. "BJP government has done nothing in the state in one year. People are bitter about it. What is the government celebrating?" Gehlot asked. "Welfare schemes started by our previous government have been stopped. People are unable to get all the medicines or get all diagnosis tests done. Houses for the poor are stuck up half-built. Pensions have stopped. Farmers are not getting interest free loans," the former CM pointed out.