21 Vice-Presidents, 48 General Secretaries: Congress Effects Major Organizational Rejig In Rajasthan Ahead Of Assembly Polls

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday effected a major rejig in its Rajasthan unit ahead of the Assembly polls, appointing 21 vice presidents, a treasure, 48 general secretaries, one general secretary organization, 121 secretaries and 25 district presidents. Jeetendra Singh, Naseem Akhtar Insaf, Kailash Meena, Rajkumar Jaypal and Darshan Singh are among the 21 newly-appointed vice presidents.

Lalit Tunwal has been appointed as general secretary organization of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee while Sitaram Agarwal was named the treasurer. The appointments have been made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, according to a statement by the party.

The organisational shake-up came days after Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Randhawa, party's Rajasthan unit chief Govind Dotasra, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot along with several MLAs and ministers from the state attended a polls strategy meeting at the Congress headquarters here.

Gehlot, who is recovering from injuries to his toes, attended the meeting via video conferencing. Following the meeting, the Congress asserted that it can win the Rajasthan assembly elections provided there is unity and warned of strict action against those not maintaining discipline and speaking outside the party forum.

The party also indicated that it may not declare a chief ministerial face for the polls due later this year. In an interview with PTI, Pilot on Saturday made it clear that he has buried the hatchet with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on the advice of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, saying collective leadership was the "only way" forward going into the assembly polls.

He had said Kharge advised him to "forgive and forget" and move forward. "It was as much an advice as a directive." Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018. In 2020, Pilot led a revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party's state unit president and deputy chief minister.

Last year, an attempt by the high command to effect a leadership change in Rajasthan failed after Gehlot loyalists dug their heels in and did not allow a legislature party meeting to take place.

In April, Pilot had defied a warning from the party and went ahead with a day-long fast targeting Gehlot over his "inaction" on alleged corruption