Gehlot meets Sonia ahead of Cong president’s poll notification

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday met Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi. The meeting lasted for two hours, and after the meeting he is leaving for Kerala to join Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Sources say that the issue of Rajasthan was also discussed but their is no official word on it. Gehlot is tipped to file his nomination next week for the Congress president's post; however he is reluctant to leave the Chief Minister's chair in the state.

Gehlot, who arrived in the national capital on Wednesday morning, had told the media ahead of the meeting that he will not back out from any responsibility. "I will not back out from any responsibility and will serve the party wherever and in whichever capacity I am required in this hour of crisis," he said. However, he said the party wants Rahul Gandhi to take over as the party president.

Gehlot said that he will discharge all the responsibilities given and hinted that he can manage the posts of both the party chief and chief minister simultaneously. The chief minister said that he is not aspiring for any post but wants to work towards ousting the "fascist" (BJP) government.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday arrived at the AICC office to check the delegates list ahead of the notification of the Congress presidential poll as he readied to file his nomination papers.