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As Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is likely to resign from his post before filing his nomination for the Congress President poll, state legislator Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said that all the MLAs are angry and are resigning as they were not consulted before the decision.
"All the MLAs are angry and are resigning. We are going to the speaker for that. MLAs are upset how can CM Ashok Gehlot take a decision without consulting them", said Khachariyawas. Congress MLAs have arrived at the residence of Assembly speaker CP Joshi in Jaipur. Meanwhile, CM Ashok had expressed their willingness to contest for the party's topmost position. He said, "It's decided that I'll contest (for the post of Congress President). I'll fix the date soon (to file his nomination). There's the need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country. Khachariyawas said, "CM Gehlot should pay heed to the suggestions of MLAs. We have 92 MLAs with us". Earlier, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ajay Maken, and Sachin Pilot, arrived at the residence of CM Ashok Gehlot ahead of the CLP meeting. In the meeting there are chances that a resolution will be passed relating to the change of leadership in Rajasthan. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is also likely to resign from his post before filing his nomination for the Congress President poll. All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge will be present in the meeting which is scheduled to be held at 7 pm on Sunday. Earlier on Saturday, Ajay Maken had a meeting with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi.AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the Congress president had appointed Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken as observers for the Rajasthan CLP meeting to be held on Sunday at 7 pm in Jaipur. "Congress President has appointed Mallikarjun Kharge as Observer along with Ajay Maken, Gen. Secretary AICC, Incharge of Rajasthan, to attend the meeting of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly slated to be held on 25th September at 7 pm," Venugopal said in a tweet. Filing of nominations for the post of Congress president began on Saturday with a contest between Ashok Gehlot and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on the cards.The nominations will be filed till September 30 and results declaring the new Congress chief will be announced on October 19. This will be the first time in 25 years that Congress will see a non-Gandhi chief after Sonia Gandhi replaced Sitaraman Kesri as party chief in 1998. The last time the party had a non-Gandhi chief was in 1997 when Sitaram Kesri defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot. Chairman of Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistri will be available in Congress headquarters in the national capital to take the nomination papers as returning officer of the election. Gehlot had earlier made it clear that there will be no candidate from the Gandhi family this time. Speaking to ANI Gehlot said, "I have requested him (Congress MP Rahul Gandhi) multiple times to accept everyone's proposal of becoming the Congress President. He clarified that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next chief." (ANI)
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