Ashok Gehlot: Magician Is Ready For His Next Political Performance (image:twitter.com/ Ashok Gehlot)
Calling mali (gardener) model of good governance, Senior Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot commented on the upcoming assembly election: “We have delivered, and people know that we have delivered.” Known as a master strategist, in accordance with the challenges, his political games evolved over time. Whether to keep the party together, or to discharge state or national duty, or to lead the government, Mr Gehlot rose to the occasion and behaved accordingly. Recently, following the footsteps of Bihar, Mr Gehlot-led Rajasthan government has announced caste-based survey, leaving no stone unturned to attack BJP’s Hindutva politics.
Modest and low-key politician, Mr Gehlot is well known for handling political crises and delivering results. Even when he was accused of the Congress’s failure in 2003 Assembly election, he tirelessly rebuilt the party from the lost heritage, fought against caste equations that undertook political domination. Similarly, during the Rajasthan Political Crisis of 2020, Mr Gehlot was able to save the face of the party from being overthrown by some of the Congress MLAs, rallied under the helm of Sachin Pilot, then Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Mr Gehlot’s colleague. By emerging victorious from the crisis, Mr Gehlot surpassed BJP’s plan to to topple Congress government and also in their mission to detriment party”s image at the national level.
Born on May 3, 1951, Mr Gehlot hails from a magician’s family; Babu Laxman Singh Daksh, his father was a famous magician, and during childhood, Mr Gehlot accompanied his father and assisted him in performances. In politics too, he wields magic, whether it be in political operations or in maintaining relations. A staunch Gandhian, Mr Gehlot practiced many Gandhian ideals including simple ways of living, and eating Satvik meals. The belief in Gandhian principles also made him still close to the common people and the simplicity retained his connection with the public as well with political circles.
It was Indira Gandhi spotted Mr Gehlot first, during her visit to North Eastern region affected by refugee crisis. In 1974, he became President of the Rajasthan NSUI. Following that, he became the President of Jodhpur Congress Committee and then General Secretary of the PCC. Mr Gehlot became the PCC President in 1985, 1994 and 1997. Some significant titles held by Mr Gehlot during his political career include Union Minister of State for Tourism and Civil Aviation in 1982, Deputy Union Minister for Sports in 1984, Union Minister of State (Textiles) Independent Charge in 1991, 12th Chief Minister of Rajasthan in 1998, 14th Chief Minister of Rajasthan in 2008, and General Secretary, All India Congress Committee since 2017.
