The Congress has started the process to elected new chief ministers in three states namely Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh after the party unseated the BJP from here in the just-concluded elections. While in Madhya Pradesh, veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath is all set to become the new chief minister with Jyotiraditya Scindia as his deputy, the party continues to deliberate on the names for Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
(PTI file photo)Meanwhile, in a first, an audio message of Congress President Rahul Gandhi has gone viral, asking his party workers to suggest the name for the new chief ministers. The audio message, which starts with congratulatory note for Congress workers, says, “Now I want to ask you a very important question; You tell me who should be our chief minister? Just mention one name. Whatever name you suggest, only I will be privy to that information. No one in the party will know. Please record your choice after you hear the beep sound.”
Audio of Rahul Gandhi’s message to Congress workers. pic.twitter.com/gqJTg1n1kA
— Sreenivasan Jain (@SreenivasanJain) December 12, 2018
The audio is believed to have gone to more than three lakh party workers across three states. The Congress had gone to assembly polls without projecting anyone as its chief ministerial candidates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah had criticised the Congress for its inability to declare CM faces, but it didn’t matter in the end.
For Rajasthan, the Congress leadership is believed to be mulling over two names suggested by local Congress MLAs. Gandhi will have to choose between young Sachin Pilot and former chief minister, Ashok Gehlot.
The choice for Chhattisgarh is likely to be easy as Bhupesh Baghel is expected to be named the next chief minister. However, TS Singh Deo, who was the leader of the opposition in the last assembly and party’s lone MP from Chhattisgarh, Tamradhwaj Sahu too are being floated.