Ashok Gehlot Claims Conspiracy Derailed His 2022 Bid for Congress Chief

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot stated on Sunday that he would not have declined the Congress presidency had he been offered the position by Sonia Gandhi and the party leadership in 2022. The veteran politician characterized the internal turmoil that preceded the party’s leadership transition as a “big conspiracy” that negatively impacted his reputation.

The 2022 Leadership Transition

In October 2022, Mallikarjun Kharge was elected president of the Congress party. The transition followed a period of political instability in Rajasthan, where observers were dispatched to the state amid a standoff involving Gehlot and other party figures.

Gehlot addressed long-standing perceptions that he had prioritized his role as Chief Minister of Rajasthan over assuming the national party leadership. “I know the stature of the Congress President’s post,” Gehlot told reporters. “If Sonia Gandhi and the Congress were making me the Congress President, would I have refused?”

The former Chief Minister suggested that a distorted narrative had been constructed around his actions during that period. He specifically pointed to the sudden arrival of party observers in Rajasthan as a catalyst for the internal crisis, claiming that the situation was engineered to defame him. “The situation was so created, I think it was a big conspiracy,” Gehlot said.

Addressing Internal Party Perception

Gehlot expressed frustration regarding the public and internal perception that he had orchestrated a revolt to maintain his position in the Rajasthan government. He noted that even acquaintances abroad believed he had resisted the party leadership’s transition plans.

“People think that Ashok Gehlot wanted to remain chief minister and did not want to become Congress President, so the revolt happened,” he stated, adding that he had previously attempted to clarify his position to the party high command.

While acknowledging the intensity of the 2022 stand-off, Gehlot maintained that there was no intentional revolt against the party leadership. He emphasized that he had already apologized for the internal crisis that occurred in September 2022. Regarding his political relationship with party colleague Sachin Pilot, Gehlot suggested that it was time for the party to move past the grievances of that period. “Sachin Pilot should forgive, forget,” Gehlot remarked.

The party has not issued a formal response to Gehlot’s characterization of the 2022 events.