A day after sparking speculations of disunity in Rajasthan Congress, Sports Minister Ashok Chandna walked back his comments and assured everything was all right within the party. Chandna had expressed anguish over the conduct of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's principal secretary, referring to him as the "minister of all the departments", and said he would prefer being removed as a minister.
The Congress family is united for 2023 state polls, Chandna said in a tweet after the meeting with the chief minister this evening. "There was a long and meaningful discussion on all the subjects with the Honorable Chief Minister. He is the guardian of the Rajasthan Congress family," Chandana tweeted, adding whatever decisions the CM takes will be right. He said the BJP should take care of its own house.
Chandna made his displeasure public through a tweet, saying he does not want to hold on to the "dishonourable" ministerial post.
"I request the honourable chief minister to relieve me of this dishonourable ministerial post and give the charge of all my departments to Shri Kuldeep Ranka ji. He is anyway the minister of all the departments," he tweeted in Hindi, without elaborating. Ranka is the principal secretary to the chief minister.
Gehlot had sought to play down those comments. He said Chandna's this tweet should not be taken seriously as it might have come under the pressure of heavy workload. "He is under huge workload. Maybe he came under tension and made some comments. It should not be taken seriously...will talk to him," Gehlot told reporters in the morning. "He seems to be working under pressure, such a big responsibility has come on him, will see," Gehlot said.
-Inputs from PTI
