There is speculation that the meeting may be related to Gehlott running for Congress president.

Jaipur:

Ashok Gehlot, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, has called a late night meeting of Congress MLAs.

The MLAs have been asked to stay back after Mr Gehlot’s dinner for Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

The meeting of Congress legislators will take place in Rajasthan tonight at 10 pm, said a Congress leader.

It is not known why Mr Gehlot asked for the meeting, but there is speculation that he may discuss whether to run for Congress president.

The 71-year-old is the Gandhis’ choice for the leadership of the Congress, and has been for long, but he is reportedly reluctant to give up his Rajasthan role. Sachin Pilot, his rival and former deputy, is mostly likely to step in if Mr Gehlot is promoted to the national stage.

Though Mr Gehlot has agreed to file his nomination on Monday, when the Congress opens its election process, he is reportedly hoping to persuade Rahul Gandhi to return as Congress president.

Sources say Mr Gehlot has told the Congress leadership that he wants to stay on as Chief Minister for some time, even after becoming Congress president.

If he has to move to national politics, say sources, he wants a loyalist to rule as his proxy in Rajasthan. If not, then he wants to keep both roles by taking over as working president of the Congress with Sonia Gandhi as full-time chief.

The Congress will accept nominations till September 30. The elections for Congress president, if needed (if there are more than one candidate), will be held on October 17. The results will be declared on October 19.

Mr Gehlot has guarded his post so far and weathered crises like an alleged BJP attempt to topple his government and the revolt by Sachin Pilot in 2020.

In 2020, Mr Pilot rebelled against Mr Gehlot and shifted to Delhi with 18 MLAs. A month-long standoff ended after the Gandhis intervened.

Both Mr Gehlot and Mr Pilot were in an intense race to become Chief Minister after the Congress won the Rajasthan election in 2018. The Congress chose Mr Gehlot as Chief Minister for the third time while Mr Pilot was made his deputy, a post he lost after his rebellion.