Rajasthan Political Crisis: Seven Rebels Who Challenged Congress High Command

It was at Shanti Dhariwal’s house that the entire political drama played out.

The ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan has no end in sight as of Wednesday, 28 September, with no clarity on who will hold the fort in the state if the incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot contests for the post of the Congress president in the upcoming party elections.

It has been alleged that that the root cause of the ongoing political turmoil in Rajasthan was the demand of Ashok Gehlot’s resignation. Here is a list of leaders who may have incited a rebellion in the Rajasthan Congress.

Shanti Dhariwal

Shanti Dhariwal is the parliamentary affairs minister. He is purportedly an all-weather friend of Ashok Gehlot and was promised an important portfolio every time Gehlot became the chief minister.

It was at Dhariwal’s house that the entire political drama played out. The MLAs were invited to his house for a meeting before the meeting of those seen close to the party high command.  

However, Dhariwal has denied this. But, it was clear from the arrangement of tents and food for the MLAs at his house that the meeting was called with full preparation.

Dhariwal convinced the MLAs that Gehlot’s resignation will not be acceptable to them. And if the party high command decides to remove Gehlot from the post of Rajasthan’s chief minister, then the ascension of Sachin Pilot in that role will not be acceptable to them. Dhariwal also accused state in-charge Ajay Maken of conspiracy.  

Mahesh Joshi

Mahesh Joshi is a minister in Gehlot’s government and also the chief whip, a role that he has played well by keeping the MLAs together – both back in 2020, when the Pilot faction had rebelled, as well as now. This time, Joshi’s target was MLAs, who do not belong to either faction, and are considered neutral.

He called them to Dhariwal’s residence, reminded them of Pilot’s rebellion, and included the MLAs into their band. Joshi is known to have cordial relations with all the MLAs.

Pratap Singh Khachariyawas

Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, originally with a Bharatiya Janata Party background, was in 2018 made a minister from Pilot’s faction. After Sachin Pilot rebelled in 2020, he moved to Gehlot’s faction, and got to keep his ministerial role as a reward. This time, Khachariyawas is playing on the front foot.

He visited the Tanot Mata temple in Jaisalmer with Ashok Gehlot on 25 September, the day the MLAs rebelled against the party high command.

Mahendra Choudhary

Mahendra Choudhary is the deputy chief whip. He is one of the few Jat leaders seen close to Ashok Gehlot. In 2008, he supported Gehlot by staying away from the Jat lobby that stood against the former’s appointment as the chief minister.

During this time, he brought together the pro-Gehlot supporters.

Dharmendra Rathod

Dharmendra Rathod is the chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC). Considered to be a part of Gehlot’s ‘kitchen cabinet', Rathod is not an MLA, but is considered to be more powerful than the cabinet ministers in the Rajasthan government.

The only non-MLA to have played a role in the political drama that is now playing out in the state, Rathod is said to have brought the independents and the Rajput MLAs together.

Sanyam Lodha

Currently an independent, Sanyam Lodha is a former Congressman. He is known to be close to Gehlot and Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi. He has been consistently attacking Sachin Pilot.

Amid reports of Gehlot’s removal as the chief minister of Rajasthan, Lodha was among the first independents to have given a statement against the move to the media and announced that he will resign. He also had the support of three MLAs, Khushveer Singh Jojawar being a prominent name amongst them. Jojawar was recently seen close to Sachin Pilot.  

CP Joshi

CP Joshi has had a silent, yet significant role to play in the ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan. Now, Joshi will be at the centre of the drama that unfolds in the state. During Pilot’s rebellion in 2020, Joshi had summoned the rebel MLAs by issuing a notice at midnight.

Now the resignation letters of MLAs who reposed faith in Gehlot are locked in Joshi's vault.