Rajasthan crisis: Action recommended against 3 Ashok Gehlot loyalists

Observers of the Indian National Congress, the ruling party of the north-western state of Rajasthan, on Tuesday (27) recommended disciplinary action against three party leaders, including two ministers, for the snowballing political crisis in the state, but did not seek any action against chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

The three loyalists of Gehlot against whom action has been recommended are -- cabinet minister Shanti Dhariwal; minister and Congress chief whip in the state assembly, Mahesh Joshi, and member of legislative assembly (MLA) Dharmendra Rathore.

The observers -- Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken -- submitted their report to party chief Sonia Gandhi Tuesday evening, flagging "gross indiscipline" on the part of some leaders who organised a parallel meet of MLAs instead of joining a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting.

The two observers had to return from Jaipur without holding the CLP meeting as a large group of MLAs considered loyal to Gehlot refused to join it and put forth certain conditions for selecting Gehlot's successor.

The sources said the report has not sought any action against the chief minister of Rajasthan even as it recommended action against the three leaders.

However, it has pointed out that the parallel meeting of MLAs was held with Gehlot's knowledge.

The observers' report pointed to the "gross indiscipline" on the part of some state leaders who organised the parallel meet of MLAs and did not allow the CLP meeting to go ahead.

The report came a day after the observers briefed Sonia Gandhi on the developments and she had asked them to submit a written report.

[With PTI inputs]