After over an hour-long meeting with Sonia Gandhi at her residence here, Ashok Gehlot said that he was not going to contest the Congress presidential poll and the issue of Rajasthan Chief Ministership will be decided by her.
He said, "In this environment I don't want to contest and the issue of Chief Ministership will be decided by high command. Whether I remain the CM or not that will be decided by Madam... I am a loyal soldier of the Congress from Indiraji's time, whatever happened in Jaipur I have expressed regret and sadness."
Earlier, while entering Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath, Ashok Gehlot was seen carrying a set of papers. Written on one of the papers was, "Whatever has happened is sad and he is also hurt."
The meeting came a day ahead of the last date of nomination for the Congress presidential poll. And, ahead of this meeting, Sonia Gandhi's emissary Mukul Wasnik had met Gehlot.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh will file nomination for the post of the party president for which election is scheduled to be held on October 17.
Also read | Gehlot reaches Sonia's residence, Rajasthan stalemate likely to end
Sources close to Singh have said that the decision to contest the polls was his personal one, and none from the Gandhi family has asked him to do so.
Congress' initial plan was to field Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the top party post but the high-octane drama in Rajasthan has miffed the Gandhis.
Rajasthan crisis: Whatever has happened is sad, I am also hurt, says Ashok Gehlot
Amid the political imbroglio in the desert state, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said whatever has happened is sad and he is also hurt.
Gehlot has got together a two-three page document about the political developments in the desert state till now in which he said that he is hurt.
The Sonia-Gehlot meeting, which is underway, holds significance as it is expected to clear the air about the situation in Rajasthan and on the Congress presidential post.
Earlier in the day, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi met party leader K C Venugopal while Mukul Wasnik met Gehlot in Jodhpur House.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh took his nomination form from the party's Central Election Authority earlier in the day.
Gehlot reached the national capital on Wednesday night. However it is still unclear whether even after meeting Sonia he will file his nomination or not.
Also read | CM Gehlot may meet Sonia Gandhi on Thursday to resolve Rajasthan crisis
On Wednesday, Gehlot told the media, "We work under the Congress president. The decision will be taken by the party president in the coming days. The media should identify the issues of the country. Writers and journalists are being called terrorists and put behind bars. We are concerned about them."
For the past two decades, the Congress has been trying to make a non-Gandhi the party president.
Senior leader Shashi Tharoor has also been asked to file his nomination for the presidential poll which is slated to be held on October 17.
