Ajay Maken quits as AICC’s Rajasthan in-charge

In a fresh jolt to the Congress party, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken has resigned from his position. He was upset over complete silence and lack of action taken against the three loyalists of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who were given show-cause notices for holding a parallel CLP meeting on September 25 in Jaipur.

According to sources, Maken wrote a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Novembe`r 8 stating that he was not willing to continue in the position because Dharmendra Rathore, the chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), Shanti Dhariwal, the minister in charge of Rajasthan's parliamentary affairs, and Mahesh Joshi, the party's chief whip, had not been subjected to any disciplinary action despite the disciplinary committee having served them show-cause notices.

It is learnt that Ajay Maken has told the Congress chief that he doesn’t have any ‘moral authority to continue in his position as there is no action being taken against MLAs who boycotted the CLP meeting that the high command had convened. According to Maken the three leaders who indulged in indiscipline are given responsibilities for coordinating the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan.

However, Kharge did not accept the resignation letter and requested Maken to continue as the AICC Rajasthan in-charge, having waited for a week, he has now resigned.

Kharge was the AICC observer and witnessed the political drama of September 25 firsthand. Kharge and Maken reached Jaipur on September 25 to hold the CLP meeting that was to pass a resolution authorising the Congress chief to appoint a new leader.