A rift in the Rajasthan Cabinet following the remarks of two Ministers against each other has created an uneasy situation, prompting Congress in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to ask Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to intervene in the matter. Mr. Randhawa said here on Saturday that the Ministers should desist from speaking against each other.
Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal had recently held the three Ministers and six MLAs from Jaipur responsible for “slow pace” of work under the Smart City Mission in the State Capital. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, elected from Jaipur’s Civil Lines seat, retorted that Mr. Dhariwal was “acting like a BJP worker”.
Mr. Randhawa told reporters here that he had asked Mr. Gehlot to stop his Cabinet colleagues from giving statements against each other. “It is the Chief Minister’s responsibility to control his Ministers... I will look into the matter at the party level,” Mr. Randhawa said.
The AICC general secretary in charge of Rajasthan and former Punjab Deputy CM said it was the responsibility of the Ministers to strengthen the government and the party organisation and not to give such statements ahead of the Assembly election. The Assembly polls are due in the State in December this year.
Mr. Dhariwal made the remarks at a programme in Udaipur, pointing out that though the Smart City Mission was operative in four cities of the State, the pace of work was slow in Jaipur, as there were differences between the Ministers and local MLAs. Mr. Khachariyawas later said Mr. Dhariwal should clarify whether he considered Assam Governor and former BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria as his leader.
