Responding to a question about the possibility of choosing a woman chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan in the next election, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said that elections are not a “beauty contest” between personalities.
He further said that Congress party has most of the time refrained from announcing the chief ministerial face before elections as it believes it is a contest among parties, their ideologies and manifestos.
On being asked if the Congress can go for a woman CM candidate in Rajasthan in the next election, he said, “It is possible. Our priority is that Congress should win. Elections in our country, in our political system, I am sorry I will use a word, they are not a beauty contest between personalities.”
He said the Congress believes that elections are among parties and are fought on ideologies, manifestos and symbols of parties.
“Who will become the chief minister is known only after the elections. Barring one or two times, the Congress party has 99 per cent of the time not announced any chief ministerial candidate because we believe that it is a contest among parties.” Ramesh said at a press conference on the sidelines of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, PTI repored.
The senior Congress leader further said that the party wants that the mandate should be for the party and not one individual.
He also ruled out the power tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, saying there is no political fight in Rajasthan and only some differences.
Without naming the two, Ramesh said that “both are assets to the party” and party leader Rahul Gandhi too had reiterated it. “One is senior, experienced and the other is young, popular and highly energetic and both are needed by the party,” he said.
