Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot poses with tribal leader Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya and the 300 Bharat Adivasi Party workers who joined the Congress on Thursday, in Jaipur. (Express Photo)Fissures appear to deepen in the Rajasthan Congress. Days after state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra’s remarks against former chief minister Ashok Gehlot hinted at internal tensions, some leaders publicly accused others of sabotaging their chances in the 2023 Assembly polls.The latest flashpoint came at a party meeting for panchayat and urban body polls – widely considered the first real organisational test of the Rajasthan Congress after its Assembly defeat in 2023.The Jaipur City Congress meeting was attended by Rajasthan Congress in-charge Poonam Paswan, former state minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, MLAs Amin Kagzi and Rafiq Khan, and Jaipur City Congress president Sunil Sharma.According to party sources, some leaders blamed party colleagues for the Congress’s defeat in the Assembly elections, prompting senior leaders to warn that rebels would not be given tickets in the local body polls.Sources quoted Hawa Mahal Assembly candidate R.R. Tiwari, the former Jaipur City Congress president, as saying that he had been defeated, not by the BJP, but by political rivals within the Congress.Tiwari lost to BJP candidate Balmukund Acharya by a narrow margin of 974 votes. He told reporters later that he had not wanted to contest the election “but did so on the directions of the party high command”.“We made every preparation, and on the eve of polling day, some Congress leaders arranged for nearly 600 voters to travel to Ajmer for free in the name of visiting the Ajmer Dargah. I lost 600 votes,” Tiwari said, adding that Congress suffers more because of people within the party than because of the BJP or RSS.Story continues below this adMalviya Nagar Congress candidate Archana Sharma also expressed similar frustration, alleging that she had to “fight more Congress leaders than BJP leaders during the elections”. Sharma lost to BJP’s Kali Charan Saraf by 35,494 votes.Sharma alleged that she had faced similar problems in the last three Assembly elections.“Many Congress members sabotaged my campaign and supported my rival. They defamed me and worked against the party and me. I had to send a defamation notice,” she told The Indian Express.According to sources, the allegations led to a heated exchange in the meeting, prompting former minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas to warn that rebels who “worked against party interests” would not be given party tickets in the upcoming local body polls.Story continues below this adWhen contacted, Khachariyawas denied that there were “cracks” in the party.“These kinds of tussles happen in every party. We are united and will contest the elections together,” he said.This appears to be the latest flashpoint within the Congress. Just days earlier, state Congress president Dotasra appeared critical of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot after some Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) workers were inducted into the Congress at Gehlot’s residence instead of the party headquarters. Without naming anyone directly, Dotasra said the Congress had suffered due to “individual-centric politics”, stressing that his loyalty was only to the party, and “not any one individual”.Gehlot has yet to comment on the issue. However, Gehlot loyalists such as Kota North MLA Shanti Dhariwal have defended him, saying he is the “high command in the state”.Story continues below this adThe local body polls in Rajasthan are scheduled to be held later this year.Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India's most culturally and politically vibrant regions. Expertise and Experience Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to "read between the lines" of government orders and court rulings affecting the public. Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas: Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan's nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight. Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women. Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use. Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. ... Read More