Decided to contest for Cong prez: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday made it clear he will fight for the party’s president post and said irrespective of the outcome, it is necessary to work in a united manner and ensure the party emerges as a strong opposition.
Any call on his successor to head the Rajasthan government will be taken by party interim President Sonia Gandhi and Congress’ Rajasthan in-charge, Ajay Maken, he told reporters here.
“I will fix the date (to submit the nomination papers) after going (back to Rajasthan), but I have decided that I will have to contest. It is a question of democracy and let us make a new start,” he said.
With speculations rife that Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor is likely to jump into the fray, Gehlot said other “Congress friends” may also contest but what matters is unity and the need to strengthen the organisation at all levels.
“There are Congress friends. Even if they contest, there is no issue. After the results, we should work together to strengthen the Congress at the block, village, district levels and also move forward making our (Congress) thought process as the base so that we emerge as a strong opposition,” he added.
Considering the present situation in the country, there is a need for a strong opposition, the veteran Congress leader said.
The Congress had on Thursday issued notification for the party president post.
The party is likely to be headed by a non-Gandhi leader for the first time in decades, with Rahul Gandhi indicating he is not going to vie for the top post.