Dilemma persists on CM faces in MP, Raj; Rahul-Sonia hold series of meetings to resolve impasse

New Delhi, Dec 13 (UNI) Two days after Congress emerged victorious, dilemma continues to persist on the choice of Chief Ministers in Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh even as party president Rahul Gandhi said the announcement would be made soon.

' We are checking, we are taking inputs from different people in the party, we are taking inputs from MLAs, we are taking input from workers, we are getting a comprehensive answer to what the congress party and others feel," Mr Gandhi told reporters in Parliament premises on Thursday.

With the imbroglio on the issue till the evening Mr Gandhi held consultations with UPA chairperson and his mother Sonia Gandhi. His sister Priyanka Gandhi also visited his residence.

The day saw Mr Gandhi holding meetings with two CM aspirants of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot as well as MP Chief Ministerial aspirants Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia to resolve the issue.

He also held separate meetings with AICC observers K C Venugopal for Rajasthan, A K Antony for Madhya Pradesh and Mallikarjun Kharge for Chhattisgarh.

Even as Mr Gandhi said that an announcement on Chief Ministers of the states would be made soon, the logjam on the choice continued resulting in delay.

The main tussle seemed to have surfaced in Rajasthan where both contenders for the top post Mr Gehlot and Mr Sachin Pilot were digging their heels. For Madhya Pradesh too, veteran Kamal Nath and party's young face Mr Scindia declined to budge from the claims. In Madhya Pradesh, Congress president seemed to face a peculiar situation wherein pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath has come under attack for his alleged role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The Chhindwara MP Nath was considered a top contender for the post of Chief Minister in the central Indian state.

Party sources said that earlier on Thursday, Mr Venugopal and Avinash Pandey met Mr Gandhi at his residence at Tuglaq Road where they informed him about the views of the Congress MLAs in Rajasthan.

Sources said Mr Gandhi has had discussions with AICC observer Mr Kharge for Chhattisgarh also.

The suspense over who will be the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh continues ever since the Congress legislators in the three states authorising party president Mr Gandhi to take the final call.

The Congress observers on Wednesday held closed-door interactions with the Congress MLAs in MP and Rajasthan. However, the legislature party of the fwo states left it for Rahul to take the final decision.

While in Rajasthan, Mr Gehlot and Mr Pilot are contenders for the position, in Madhya Pradesh, the race is between Mr Nath and Mr Scindia.

While the supporters of Mr Nath and Mr Gehlot cite their experience as the reason for making them chief minister, which would be crucial in stabilising the fragile new governments in both the states, supporters of Mr Pilot and Mr Scindia are seeking a generational shift in leadership, saying it would send a positive signal to the youth.