New Delhi: Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot Reviving discussions about the 2022 Congress presidential race and internal party turmoil, he said he would not have refused if he was offered the top post. Sonia Gandhi And party leadership.His comments are being seen as reopening of old fault lines within the Congress over the process of leadership change, which ultimately led to Mallikarjun Kharge Will become party chief in October 2022.Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Gehlot questioned the perception that he had rejected the post of party president while choosing to remain the chief minister of Rajasthan.Gehlot said, “I know the importance of the post of Congress President… (Mahatma) Gandhiji has been the President, Pandit Nehru, Motilal Nehru have been the President, who hasn’t been, Sardar Patel has been the party President, if Sonia Gandhi and the Congress were making me the Congress President, would I have refused?”He further alleged that a distorted narrative was created about his role in the leadership contest.He said, “The situation was created in such a way that I think it was a big conspiracy. The observers arrived suddenly and I was defamed.”

‘A wrong impression was made about me’, said Gehlot

Gehlot also said that the public perception about him remaining the Chief Minister while avoiding the top post of the party has been persisting for years.He said, “People think that Ashok Gehlot wanted to remain the chief minister and did not want to become the Congress president, that is why the rebellion took place.”He said, “Even people close to me abroad think that Ashok Gehlot wanted to remain the chief minister, he instigated the rebellion. How can I explain to them, I am explaining to you.”

‘I went and apologised’: Gehlot on internal crisis

Recalling the Rajasthan political crisis of 2022, Gehlot said he had already tried to clarify his position before the party leadership.He said, “I remained silent because I had to tell Soniaji that whether it was a rebellion against the pilot or anything else, I had nothing to do.”He also referred to internal developments involving central observers sent by the party high command, including Ajay Maken and Kharge, who were tasked with resolving factional differences in Rajasthan.He said, “I was the leader of the legislature party, AICC observers had come. The arrival of AICC observers holds significance. It was Kharge Saheb or Ajay Makenji and I could not get the resolution passed.”

Remembering Rajasthan Political Crisis of 2022

The comments come nearly four years after the Rajasthan Congress was in turmoil in 2022, when factional tensions flared up between Gehlot and then Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot during the party’s leadership change process.According to ANI, the crisis deepened after a consensus could not be reached in the Congress Legislature Party meeting, following which a section of MLAs associated with Gehlot reportedly submitted their resignations to the Speaker.Gehlot loyalists had reportedly refused to hold a face-to-face meeting with the observers, while rival camps had put forward competing proposals on the leadership selection.Ajay Maken had said after the meeting that the situation involved concerns of conflict of interest, noting that resolutions by some MLAs had raised questions about leadership control if Gehlot became Congress president.He had also said, “We waited for more MLAs to come but they did not come. Now Mallikarjun Kharge and I are going to Delhi to submit our report to the Congress President.”The crisis ultimately contributed to preventing an immediate leadership change in Rajasthan, while the party proceeded with organizational elections later that year.Gehlot, in his latest remarks, also reiterated that he had expressed regret to the party leadership following the internal turmoil.He said, “Although I had said in the night that the meeting should be ended now and we will call another meeting tomorrow and talk. That situation did not arise for us… That’s why… That’s why… It didn’t happen… The motion could not be passed. I went and expressed regret in front of madam, the party gave me everything, such a situation arose so I am apologizing…” he said.Sonia Gandhi had served as the interim Congress president before Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor in the party presidential election.Gehlot’s latest comments are expected to revive discussions within the Congress on handling the 2022 transition and the continued impact of factional divisions in Rajasthan politics.