Changes in Rajasthan Congress likely on Saturday

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January 24, 2003 02:23 IST

Amidst claims that the proposed changes in the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee will be announced on Saturday, suspense over the fate of several state Congress satraps continues.

"Changes are expected both in the government and party. But at what level they will be I may not be able to say," an All India Congress Committee general secretary said soon after meeting state party leader and Member of Parliament Seesh Ram Ola.

"These [changes in Rajasthan] have not been put on hold. The Congress president [Sonia Gandhi] is extremely busy. Most likely they will be announced by Saturday," he said.

The general secretary agreed that due to the drought Rajasthan's economic situation was grim.

Recently, Congress Working Committee members Ambika Soni, Pranab Mukherjee and P Shiv Shanker had visited Rajasthan in the wake of the party's debacle in the three assembly bye-elections. They had held talks with the state Congress leadership.

The three leaders were also part of the AICC's Manifesto Committee, which had reviewed the promises given by the party during the campaign for the bye-elections. The management of the drought by the state government had also come up for review. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had met the Congress president last week.

Speculation is rife that after the change in Maharashtra, the axe may fall on RPCC chief Girija Vyas.

It is believed that the influential Jat community wants Vyas, a Brahmin, replaced.

Though the Jats already have the lion's share of ministries in the Cabinet, they have been demanding the RPCC post in exchange for their continued support to the Congress.

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