The new executive of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) will face its first test after its reconstitution earlier this week in the upcoming urban local body elections to be held in 20 districts of the State.
The PCC is sending its general secretaries appointed in the revamp to the 90 municipal bodies going to polls on January 28.
The 39-member team in the PCC has been formed with a balancing act among different factions, in which the loyalists from the camps of both Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot have been accommodated. The new PCC vice-presidents and general secretaries will be made in-charges of different districts.
MLAs G.R. Khatana, Rakesh Pareek and Ved Prakash Solanki, who were among the 18 legislators who rebelled with Mr. Pilot and created a political turmoil in July last year, have found a place among the eight general secretaries.
The PCC executive was reconstituted with the appointment of seven vice-presidents and 24 secretaries on Wednesday.
‘Important role’
The Congress party contested the local body polls and panchayat elections during the last three months without the strength of its executive. PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra, who held the fort alone, said here on Friday that the members of the new body would play an important role in the selection of candidates and appointment of District Congress Committee presidents.
Mr. Dotasra, who is also the Education Minister, was appointed the PCC chief in July 2020 after Mr. Pilot was sacked as both the Deputy CM and PCC president. The party had also dissolved the State executive and other departments and cells during the crisis which continued for a month.
Though the uncertainty within the Congress had led to a setback in the panchayat elections, in which it won fewer Zila Pramukh posts than the Opposition BJP, the ruling party managed a good performance in the elections for 50 urban bodies in 12 districts last month. The Congress won 619 of the 1,775 ward councillor posts, compared to the BJP's tally of 548.
In November 2020, the Congress won in four of the six Municipal Corporations in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota cities, which went to polls for the formation of boards. The BJP could obtain a clear majority in only two civic bodies.
The upcoming municipal body elections will be held in Ajmer, Banswara, Bikaner, Bhilwara, Bundi, Pratapgarh, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dungarpur, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Pali, Rajsamand, Sikar, Tonk and Udaipur districts.
The process for filing of nomination papers will start after the issuance of election notification on January 11.
