Rajasthan Assembly elections | Pressure building up on Gehlot to field younger politicians

The move by three legislators to not contest the Rajasthan elections, all loyalists of Sachin Pilot, is ostensibly targeted at two septuagenarian Ministers who are close to Rajasthan CM

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot addresses the gathering at Kisan Mahotsav, in Udaipur on June 26, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI

Pressure is building up on Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to give tickets to young candidates for this year’s Assembly election with at least three elderly Congress MLAs of the rival Sachin Pilot camp announcing that they will not contest the poll. The move has been perceived as an attempt to force Mr. Gehlot to make way for younger politicians.

Forest and Environment Minister Hemaram Choudhary, former Assembly Speaker Deependra Singh Shekhawat and Sangod MLA Bharat Singh – all in their 70s – have announced that they will not fight the Assembly election due in December this year. The three Congress leaders are considered loyal to former Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Pilot, whose rehabilitation in the State’s politics has posed a challenge before the ruling party.

While Mr. Singh had earlier advised all senior Congress leaders to leave the “fascination for chair” and give an opportunity to the young leaders to move forward in politics, Mr. Shekhawat, who has represented Sikar district’s Srimadhopur seat five times, has cited health issues as the reason for his decision. Mr. Chaudhary said last week that he was given ticket for the 2018 election despite his unwillingness to contest then.

Message for high command

The move of the leaders of the Pilot camp is ostensibly targeted at two septuagenarian Ministers, Shanti Dhariwal and B.D. Kalla, who enjoy the confidence of Mr. Gehlot and are his close confidants. They have also sought to send across a message to the Congress high command that they have vacated their seats for the youth.

However, political observers pointed out that most of the elderly Congress MLAs, who were unpopular in their constituencies, wanted to use their plans for retirement from politics as a means to create difficulties for others in the rival camp. Moreover, many of them were putting forward their children and other family members in active politics.

Mr. Chaudhary is promoting his daughter Sunita Chaudhary from his Gudamalani constituency, while Mr. Shekhawat wants to get ticket for his son Balendu Singh from Srimadhopur.

“If the senior leaders really wish to promote the youths in the State’s politics, they should give a chance to the young party workers,” Kalyan Singh Kothari, secretary of advocacy group Lok Samvad Sansthan, said on Monday.

On the other hand, Mr. Kalla, 74, and Dhod MLA and former Minister Parasram Mordia, 73, have announced that they are “fit and healthy” and are willing to fight the upcoming election. Mr. Kalla told reporters in Jaipur that he was a “winning candidate” and the field was clear for him at his seat, Bikaner West, where there was no one to ask for a ticket even in the BJP.

Mr. Mordia said he had carried out development works on a large scale in his constituency and he believed that the voters liked him. “There is no reason for me not to contest the polls. I don’t think anyone from the BJP can defeat me,” he said.

Sikar-based political analyst Ashfaq Kayamkhani said the candidature of the MLAs who had joined Mr. Pilot’s failed rebellion in July 2020 was already doubtful. Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had also indicated recently that about 70 party MLAs could be denied ticket.