Rajasthan Crisis: `Congress can`t be revived by ignoring young leaders,` says state minister Hemaram Choudhary

The sudden mass resignation of MLAs in Rajasthan just weeks before the Congress national presidential election caught the party off guard, prompting senior leadership to step in. Ajay Maken, the All India Congress Committee general secretary for Rajasthan, also expressed his inability to continue as Rajasthan in charge and resigned on Wednesday

Rajasthan: The internal crisis that erupted in Rajasthan Congress after the mass resignation of over 80 of its MLAs from the state assembly on September 25, seems to have surfaced again. Congress` senior leader and Rajasthan Cabinet Minister Hemaram Choudhary on Sunday sparked a row within the Congress by saying that the party cannot come to the power and its revival is impossible if its young leaders are ignored."Congress cannot come to power, and it cannot be revived if young leaders of the party are ignored," Choudhary, a supporter of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said on Sunday. Choudhary, the cabinet minister in Rajasthan, was speaking to reporters in Barmer on Sunday and said that giving chance to young leaders of the Congress will make the party stronger."

Party`s general secretary Venu Gopal had assured to resolve the September 25 issue in two days, but there has been no decision on the same till date," he said while adding that this has sent a wrong message. Replying to a question on Sachin Pilot, Choudhary said that he (Pilot) has not been on any post for the last two years, but the amount of work he has done for the party is not hidden from anyone.

"He (Pilot) is popular among the masses and his events draw huge crowds, but he has not been on any post. How will the party become strong if such a popular and famous leader is not given any chance?" the senior leader questioned. Choudhary`s statement comes ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi`s `Bharat Jodi Yatra` in the state. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to enter the state from Jhalwada on December 3. Over 80 Congress MLAs in Rajasthan submitted their resignation on September 25 against Sachin Pilot`s candidature to be the next chief minister if Ashok Gehlot was elected as Congress chief.

The sudden mass resignation of MLAs in Rajasthan weeks before the Congress national president polls had taken the party by surprise, prompting senior leadership to intervene. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary for Rajasthan Ajay Maken had on Wednesday last also expressed his inability to continue as Rajasthan in-charge and submitted his resignation. His resignation was seen as his displeasure over the turn of events in late September when Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at the last minute refused to give up the post to contest the Congress president`s election. Assembly elections in the state are also due in a year.