'Condolences to Shashi Tharoor': BJP leaders slam Congress amid Rajasthan political crisis ahead of presidential poll

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday took a swipe at the Congress over the ongoing Rajasthan political crisis. The developments come ahead of the party's presidential election which will see Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor face-off against CM Ashok Gehlot.

"Ajay Maken has already announced the winner of the 'election' by saying that Gehlot will be President on October 19. My condolences to Shashi Tharoor ji for believing this sham and farce was an election! It was always a 'coronation' of a darbari or parivarvadi," tweeted BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.

Earlier in the day the senior Congress leader had said that Gehlot would be violating conflict of interest "after October 19 when he becomes the party president".

A legislative party meeting was scheduled on Sunday evening at the residence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the presence of the observers, which was attended by the Sachin Pilot and his camp MLAs. However, the Gehlot loyalists held a meeting with Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal at his residence, following which over 90 MLAs had submitted their resignations to Speaker CP Joshi.

With Gehlot set to contest the presidential polls on October 17, his former deputy is being seen as a possible successor to the CM post. Gehlot loyalists however want someone from their own camp to be chosen as the next Chief Minister. They have cited the revolt Pilot led against his own party in 2020 to underscore their point.

But as the political crisis deepens, reports quoting sources indicated that Congress Working Committee members have called for Sonia Gandhi to pull the state chief minister out of the race for the party chief and select another candidate.