Rajasthan Political Crisis LIVE: No interest in Congress President post, only here for Navratri wishes, says Kamal Nath in Delhi

Rajasthan political crisis LIVE: Several Congress MLAs, loyalists to Ashok Gehlot, have reportedly opposed former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot's candidature for the CM post.

Rajasthan Political Crisis: Several Congress MLAs, and loyalists to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot submitted their resignation letters over Sachin Pilot's candidature as the next Chief Minister. The MLAs submitted their resignations on Sunday at Speaker CP Joshi's home after a long meeting in the evening at minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence.

It is claimed that over 90 MLAs went to Joshi's home. Congress currently has 108 MLAs in the House of 200. There, however, was no official word from the Speaker's office on the resignation letters. 

With this new crisis, it seems that it will be far more difficult for Sachin Pilot to become Rajasthan's chief minister now.

Meanwhile, AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge will return to Delhi today after meeting with the miffed MLAs and submit their report to the top leadership. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have also been summoned by Congress top leadership to Delhi on Monday. The next steps for the party will be decided after the meeting.

Here are the LIVE UPDATES on Rajasthan Political Crisis:

26 September 2022

20:24 IST

"MLAs of Rajasthan will not sit through & tolerate traitors being rewarded," says State Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal

Rajasthan| A gen secy is himself canvassing to make such people CM, MLAs had to get angry, disgruntled. MLAs asked me to listen to their voice. They want someone from 102 MLAs who huddled together to stay with Congress for over 34 days (in 2020) to be made CM: Shanti Dhariwal pic.twitter.com/eU1aCXAYop

— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2022

20:23 IST

In 2020, when state Congress was in trouble, our President Sonia Gandhi had asked that govt be saved at any cost. Despite having CM in Rajasthan, traitors claimed govt has fallen, only came back when session was called, they're being made CM now: State Min S Dhariwal

19:32 IST

102 Gehlot loyalists had told us that someone among them must be made CM. We told them that their opinion would be presented before party chief & that no conditions are attached to resolutions passed; party chief decides after consultations: Ajay Maken

19:32 IST

Delhi: Congress leader Kamal Nath says, "I have no interest in (Congress) President post, only here for Navratri wishes."

#WATCH | Delhi: Congress leader Kamal Nath says, "I have no interest in (Congress) President post, only here for Navratri wishes." pic.twitter.com/GeOePP8CMm

— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2022

16:50 IST

AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal arrives at the residence of Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi, in Delhi.

#WATCH | AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal arrives at the residence of Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi, in Delhi. #RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/SCl26mGiXe

— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2022

16:50 IST

AICC observers Ajay Maken & Mallikarjun Kharge arrive at the residence of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. They will further give the report to her pertaining to Rajasthan Congress Crisis.

16:23 IST

We arrived in Delhi after meeting MLAs in Jaipur. We are going to give our report to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi: AICC observer Ajay Maken

15:27 IST

Congress high command asks MP Congress chief Kamal Nath to immediately arrive in Delhi. He is further likely to mediate in Rajasthan Congress crisis: Sources

13:47 IST

Rajasthan political crisis: Congress committee urges Sonia Gandhi to pull Ashok Gehlot out of party president race

Amid the deepening political crisis in Rajasthan over the appointment of Ashok Gehlot's successor, Congress Working Committee members have reportedly demanded interim party chief Sonia Gandhi to pull the state chief minister out of the race for the party president. As per reports, they have also asked Sonia Gandhi to select another candidate for the top post

11:54 IST

What are the demands by Rajasthan Cong MLAs?

"One was to announce the implementation of resolution of handing over the responsibility (to appoint CM) to Congress President after Oct 19; we said it'll be a conflict of interest."

"2nd condition- they wanted to come in groups when we said that we shall talk to everyone individually; we made it clear that this isn't how it works, but they didn't accept."

"Third condition was that the CM should be from the 102 MLAs who are loyal to CM Ashok Gehlot, not Sachin Pilot or his group. We said that their exact sentiments will be conveyed to Cong chief, who will take the decision after talking to CM Ashok Gehlot & everyone else," said Ajay Maken.

11:44 IST

'Telling MLAs to talk one-to-one'

'Mallikarjun Kharge & I came here as AICC observers to hold a meeting in accordance with CM's convenience at the latter's residence. We were continuously telling the MLAs who didn't come to come & talk one-to-one', says AICC observer Ajay Maken to ANI.

11:28 IST

Sachin Pilot vs Ashok Gehlot

Hoardings featuring Congress MLA Sachin Pilot with the text "Satyamev Jayate, Naye Yug ki Taiyari" put up at various places in Jodhpur, reported ANI.

10:28 IST

Sonia Gandhi directs AICC observers to conduct one-on-one meet with Congress MLAs

Sonia Gandhi, the current party president of Congress, told AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to conduct one-on-one talks with Rajasthan MLAs to resolve the issue in the state regarding the Chief Minister's post as per an ANI report.

09:59 IST

'Enough with this drama'

Deputy Leader of Opposition of State Assembly in Rajasthan, Rajendra Rathore said, "This 'naatak' shouldn't happen, enough with this drama. Sometimes they stay in hotels for days, the other times the leaders who run the govt go into another party, nothing can be more unfortunate." 

"This govt (Rajasthan) arose with an internal dispute, which is still ongoing. For the 1st time, MLAs have defied their high command... CM should call an emergency cabinet meeting to dissolve the Assembly. BJP has nothing to do with this."

09:49 IST

Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot summoned to Delhi

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot were reportedly summoned by Congress top leadership to Delhi on Monday. The next steps for the party will be decided after the meeting. AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge will be returning to Delhi from Jaipur today. Maken and Kharge will meet the Congress high command today evening and brief them about the developments in Rajasthan.

08:45 IST

Upset MLAs not ready to meet AICC observers: Sources

As per an ANI tweet, AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken are set to come to Delhi on Monday and submit the report to the top leadership. However, upset Rajasthan MLAs are not ready to meet the observers yet. The next step will be decided after the discussion with the high command.

08:15 IST

Rajasthan political crisis: Several Congress MLAs submit resignations

Several Congress MLAs, loyal to Ashok Gehlot, submitted resignation letters over a possible move to appoint Sachin Pilot as the next Chief Minister. The loyalists headed to Speaker CP Joshi's home after a long meeting in the evening at minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence, saying they were resigning as MLAs.

06:41 IST

BJP takes a dig at Congress amid Rajasthan crisis

BJP president for Rajasthan Satish Poonia commented on the political crisis in Rajasthan on Twitter. He wrote, "There is not so much uncertainty in today's India-Australia cricket match as there is about the leaders in the Congress party of Rajasthan. The meetings of MLAs are going on separately, the political hypocrisy of resignations is going on separately. What rule will they enforce? Where will they take Rajasthan, God save Rajasthan."

इतनी अनिश्चितता तो आज भारत-आस्ट्रेलिया क्रिकेट मैच में भी नहीं है जितनी राजस्थान की कांग्रेस पार्टी में नेता को लेकर है।विधायकों की बैठकें अलग चल रही है,इस्तीफ़ों का सियासी पाखंड अलग चल रहा है।ये क्या राज चलाएँगे,कहाँ ले जाएँगे ये राजस्थान को,अब तो भगवान बचाए राजस्थान को…

— Satish Poonia (@DrSatishPoonia) September 25, 2022

01:18 IST

Congress MLAs leave from the residence of Assembly speaker CP Joshi in Jaipur

23:48 IST

We aren't going to Delhi at the moment, we have been instructed by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to conduct one-to-one talks with  Rajasthan Congress MLAs. We'll meet them tonight: Congress leader Ajay Maken to ANI

23:47 IST

Neither did I talk to CM Ashok Gehlot today, nor did he call me, things will be sorted out soon: Congress leader KC Venugopal

22:06 IST

92 MLAs to quit, reach Assembly Speaker CP Joshi's residence

As per state minister Pratap Khachriyawas, 92 MLAs are together and have decided to resign. "We have all the right to choose our leader and we will decide our leader," he said. These MLAs reached the residence of Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi to submit their resignation.

22:05 IST

'We are not being heard', says MLA from Gehlot camp

"10-15 MLAs are being heard while other MLAs are being neglected. Party doesn't listen to us, decisions are being taken without it," Congress MLA Pratap Singh Khachariyawas in Jaipur

21:59 IST

A fresh crisis has started in Rajasthan's politics. Just when it appeared that everything is sorted in inside the Congress, and the party is set to see smooth transition of things with Ashok Gehlot's elevation as the party president, and Sachin Pilot replacing his as the Rajasthan chief minister, as many as 60 MLAs from the former's camp have revolted.

Follow this space for all the LATEST UPDATES of Rajasthan political crisis.