Declaring PCC chief as CM candidate bad: Ex-Rajasthan CM Gehlot

Jaipur, January 12

In a sign of factionalism within the Congress's Rajasthan unit, former Chief Minister Askhok Gehlot on Friday said the practice among certain partymen to declare state unit chief as chief ministerial candidate was "bad" and projected the party in poor light.

His statement comes after the appointment of former Union Minister Sachin Pilot as the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief.

"Even the PCC chief starts dreaming and projecting himself as the next Chief Minister. This is not a decent practice being followed in the Congress. It doesn't even spell good for the party," senior Congress leader Gehlot told media persons in Sikar.

He said that when he was the PCC chief, he too was projected as CM candidate by a few party members. "However, I never asked for any favour or post from the party high command," said Gehlot. "But, I was rewarded for my loyalty and made the Chief Minister after we won the Assembly elections." He maintained that he would remain loyal and abide by all orders of the Congress high command. IANS