Marriage without groom: Rajnath Singh ribs Congress for not declaring CM candidate in Rajasthan

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday launched a scathing attack at the Congress and dared the party to announce the name of its chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan. Singh said that the Congress party will break into pieces if they announce their candidate for the top job. "Congress is now in the election battle but it must be asked as to whom they would make the chief minister if they form the government. They know the reality that in Rajasthan they cannot form the government. But it must be asked who their leader is," Singh said while addressing a rally in the poll-bound state’s Dholpur.

Taking a dig at the party for not announcing the chief ministerial candidate, Singh said the condition of Congress party in Rajasthan is like a marriage procession without the groom.

Also Read | Rajasthan elections turn into battle of heavyweights, BJP pits Yunus Khan against Sachin Pilot in Tonk

"They (Congress) have taken out a marriage procession but the groom is nowhere to be found. Has anyone seen a marriage procession in Rajasthan without the groom?" the minister said.

The Congress party in Rajasthan is said to be divided between two factions – loyalists of Ashok Gehlot and the other of Sachin Pilot. Both Gehlot and Pilot are potential claimants for the top job. However, the party is unlikely to take any risk of rebellion by announcing the name of its leader or the chief minister.

Both Sachin Pilot, the president of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) and Ashok Gehlot, a two-time chief minister and Congress general secretary are contesting the December 7 Assembly elections. Pilot, however, rejected the reports of any rift with Gehlot and asserted that the name of the chief ministerial candidate will be decided after the elections.

Also Read | Rajasthan Elections: Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot to contest polls, deny rift