On Saturday in Jaipur, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot denied any falling out between Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, insisting that the two men are not at odds but are on good terms. “If leaders sit together at the breakfast table, it shows unity. Love is not the news, divorce is news. There is no divorce in Karnataka, there is love,” he told the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee.
Gehlot dismissed reports of turmoil in Karnataka, stating that Congress remains united under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. He reacted firmly to talks within the party about possible power‑sharing arrangements and leadership confusion, especially after recent developments in Karnataka and earlier controversies in Chhattisgarh. The former chief minister said that several leaders casually appeal to Rahul Gandhi’s name when asserting that they were “sent to become Chief Minister” or that they were promised a share of power. “People use Rahul Gandhi’s name,” he said. “Some claim they were promised two and a half years. During the Chhattisgarh government, the same two‑and‑a‑half‑year formula was brought up. Such conversations harm the party.”
Regarding the current rumours about a rotational chief‑ministership in Karnataka, Gehlot stressed that only Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi know the real decision. Shifting his focus to Rajasthan, he criticized the present administration as incompetent and irresponsible, lamenting a collapse of law and order accompanied by daily accidents and suicides. “There is an incompetent government in Rajasthan,” he voiced. “Law and order have collapsed. Every day, there are accidents and suicides.” “If this two‑and‑a‑half‑year formula exists, then let Karnataka’s CM and Deputy CM confirm it. Otherwise, it’s just gossip,” he added.
Gehlot also accused the Election Commission of bias, warning that its conduct could threaten India’s democratic framework. “The Election Commission’s attitude has become a major concern,” he cautioned. “If it functions like an extension of the government, how will democracy survive?” He suggested that the current political climate might jeopardize future elections’ fairness. “Will elections become like Russia, where 98 per cent of votes go to the ruling party?” he asked. Concluding, Gehlot reminded that India’s democracy endures because of Ambedkar’s Constitution, yet he described the present atmosphere as “extremely dangerous.”
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