Beyond Ashok Gehlot And Sachin Pilot: Is Rajasthan Congress Witnessing A New Power Struggle?

The differences within the Rajasthan Congress surfaced after state party chief Govind Singh Dotasra appeared to criticise former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, saying that a culture of ‘individualism’ had weakened the organisation and contributed to repeated electoral defeats.

The remarks came shortly after senior tribal leader Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya arrived at Gehlot’s Jaipur residence with around 300 workers of the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP), who joined the Congress.

Dotasra’s Remarks

Speaking at the Congress headquarters on Thursday, Dotasra questioned the practice of promoting individuals over the party organisation. Though he did not name Gehlot, his remarks were seen as a reference to the former chief minister’s political approach.

“If someone is working for their own branding, good luck to them. I work for the Congress and my loyalty will always be towards the Congress party. I will never work for anyone’s branding,” Dotasra said, according to The Indian Express.

He added that the party had suffered because of individualism, pointing out that Congress had often won one election and lost the next.

“Someone or the other among us must be lacking something. We will sort it out and move forward. At present we are all together - whether Sachin Pilot ji, Gehlot ji or Malviya ji,” he added.

Malviya’s Return

Dotasra’s remarks came after Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya returned to the Congress fold with around 300 workers of the Bharat Adivasi Party.

Dotasra also criticised Malviya’s earlier decision to leave the Congress, saying leaders who leave the party often face political setbacks. At the same time, he acknowledged Malviya’s political standing and his experience as a former Congress Working Committee member.

“I know he has potential. He made a mistake, admitted it and we accepted him back,” Dotasra said.

Beyond Gehlot-Pilot

The latest exchange comes after years of internal competition within the Rajasthan Congress, particularly between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot.

The Gehlot-Pilot rivalry remained one of the defining features of the party’s previous term in government from 2018 to 2023. The leadership tussle often shaped discussions around the organisation, government functioning and election strategy.

With the Congress now in opposition, the focus has shifted towards the emergence of new centres of influence within the state unit.

Rajasthan’s Emerging Power Centres

Within the Rajasthan Congress, the Dotasra-Jully combination has gained prominence in recent years.

Party sources said, as quoted by Indian Express, their efforts helped strengthen the Congress campaign during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the party improved its performance compared with the 2019 polls.

Dotasra, a Jat leader, and Tika Ram Jully, the state’s first Dalit Leader of Opposition, have emerged as important figures in the state unit.

As reported, Dotasra has also focused on organisational restructuring, including increasing district units and strengthening booth-level coordination.

Can Congress Avoid Another Round Of Infighting?

The party’s ability to avoid further internal conflict will depend on how effectively it manages differences between leaders and factions.

Dotasra said that Congress workers had contributed both to the party’s victories and defeats in the past. He urged party members to place the organisation above individual leaders, arguing that the party was bigger than any single personality.

For the Congress, maintaining coordination among senior leaders and ensuring that internal differences do not dominate public perception will remain a key challenge.

2028 Assembly Election

With the next Rajasthan Assembly election approaching in 2028, internal unity will be a major concern for the Congress.

The party will need to manage competing leadership ambitions while building a collective campaign strategy. The recent remarks by Dotasra have once again highlighted the challenge of balancing individual influence with organisational discipline.

The Congress’ electoral prospects will depend not only on its political strategy but also on whether it can present a united front in the years ahead.

A Pattern Seen Across Congress Units

The developments in Rajasthan come against the backdrop of similar leadership struggles in other Congress units.

Before the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, the party faced an internal struggle centred around former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and senior leader Kumari Selja. The disagreement revolved around control of the organisation, candidate selection, campaign strategy and leadership projection.

The Hooda camp highlighted his organisational strength and support among party workers, while Selja’s supporters argued for greater representation of other leaders and social groups. The differences became visible ahead of the elections, with separate political programmes and competing leadership activities reflecting the divide between the two camps.

The internal differences remained a challenge for the Congress as it entered the Assembly polls, where the party eventually lost the state to the BJP.

In Punjab, as Outlook India reported, the Congress has also witnessed internal differences ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. According to reports, a strategy meeting was held in New Delhi after Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel submitted his assessment of the state unit to the central leadership.

Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other leaders attended the discussions.

According to reports, Channi raised questions over Warring’s leadership during the meeting, while Warring indicated that he was willing to step down if his continuation affected party unity. Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal backed Warring and said the election would be fought under his organisational leadership.

The developments in Rajasthan reflect a recurring challenge for the Congress, balancing influential regional leaders with the need for a unified organisation ahead of elections.