'Action for Indiscipline': Congress Leader After Rajasthan Minister Mahesh Joshi Resigns

Pic Credit: File Photo

Jaipur: A day after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accepted Mahesh Joshi's resignation as the Congress chief whip in the Assembly, senior party leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Saturday said the "action" was taken for his indiscipline as well as to adhere to the party's "one man, one post" norm. Reacting to Randhawa's remarks, Joshi said he and others in the party would wait for "action" on those who tried to weaken the party-led government in the state. He was obliquely referring to former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and the MLAs supporting him, who were accused of conspiring to topple the government in 2020.

Joshi, a cabinet minister, was served a notice for indiscipline for holding a parallel meeting of MLAs on September 25, 2022 when a Congress Legislature Party meeting was called to choose Gehlot's successor after he was considered a frontrunner for the post of the party's national president.

Apart from Joshi, notices for indiscipline were served to cabinet minister Shanti Dhariwal and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) chairman Dharmendra Rathore.

Asked if Joshi's resignation was an action for indiscipline or in pursuance to the "one man, one post" norm, Randhawa, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Rajasthan, said, "Definitely, it is an action as well as for the two posts. It is for both. Further actions will be taken as well."

Chief Minister Gehlot accepted Joshi's resignation from the post of chief whip on Friday. Joshi had submitted the resignation before the commencement of the Budget session of the Assembly on January 23. He holds the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) portfolio.

On Wednesday, Sachin Pilot flagged an "inordinate delay" by the leadership in taking action against those who "defied" then-president Sonia Gandhi by not letting a legislature party meeting take place.

After Randhawa's remarks, Joshi launched a veiled attack on the central leadership.

"My resignation was accepted by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Randhawa ji accepted that it was part of action.... I am happy that action has been taken and my wish has also been fulfilled," he said, adding he had earlier expressed his desire of being relieved of one post.

Joshi said he and others in the party would wait to see what action is taken against those "against whom there have been complaints of weakening the party, working against the party and working against the government", so that the message of equal treatment goes to all workers.

He said that there was no pressure on him to resign.

On September 25, 2022, then Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and then state in-charge Ajay Maken called the CLP meeting at Gehlot's residence.

The MLAs from the Gehlot camp did not attend the proposed meeting and held a parallel meeting at the home of Minister Shanti Dhariwal. These MLAs later went to Assembly Speaker C P Joshi's residence and submitted their resignations against any move to replace Gehlot.

The MLAs suspected that the CLP meet was called to declare Sachin Pilot as the new chief minister.

Considering it as indiscipline, the party issued show-cause notices to Mahesh Joshi, Shanti Dhariwal and Dharmendra Rathore.