Not after any post, will go by party decision: Ashok Gehlot

New Delhi: Congress stalwart from Rajasthan and former state chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday he did not hold any position in priority and will abide by the decision the party high command takes on the issue of CM post.

Not ruling himself out of the race for the top post in the state should Congress win, Mr Gehlot in an exclusive interview to PTI said he would be open to any role Congress president Rahul Gandhi assigns him in the interest of the party.

“I am ready for whatever role Congress president gives me. I am against any kind of lobbying for any position. I have never lobbied even when I faced dissidence as CM. If they (the high command) send me to Rajasthan in party interest, it will be their decision,” the powerful AICC general secretary said. He said he is “more than satisfied” with his long political career as a five-time Lok Sabha MP, three time Union minister and ten-year Rajasthan chief minister. “No post is a priority for me. I am more than satisfied with my political innings and the question before me now is how to bring the party in power in Rajasthan first and then in the country under the leadership of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. I will be ready for any role I am assigned,” he said when asked if he is in the race for chief ministership should Congress come to power. Asked whether the fact that all top state leaders contesting elections in Rajasthan will heat up the power race in the party after polls, Mr Gehlot said the “issue of CM will be amicably resolved by the party high command which will take a decision on three grounds — party interest, public and MLAs’ sentiments.”

“There will be no problem. The high command’s decision will be acceptable to all... Whatever they decide will be acceptable to all,” he said, accusing the BJP of raising the CM issue for political reasons.

On whether there will be a new CM face other than him or Mr Pilot, Mr Gehlot said it will be the party high command’s decision. The two-term ex-CM of Rajasthan also said the decision on who the next CM will be will not be hampered by the presence of the entire top state brass in elections.

Asked why all state leaders were contesting in Rajasthan, unlike in Madhya Pradesh, he said it is a decision which the Congress president has taken, and he welcomed it.