Sachin Pilot or Ashok Gehlot - Congress to decide on Rajasthan Chief Minister: LIVE UPDATES

Ahead of the crucial congress meet, pro Pilot slogans raised in Jaipur, Rajasthan

Scoop: Majority among the MLAs support Sachin Pilot for CM. Ashok Gehlot says let the high command Rahul Gandhi make the decision on the chief ministership.

Congress Legislature Party passes a resolution authorising Congress President Rahul Gandhi to decide who the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan should be.The CLP meeting concludes.

Congress finalises win-win formula. Ashol Gehlot takes over as CM for a brief while, after which Sachin Pilot will be the CM. During that time Ashok Gehlot will be given a national role. 

Sources close to Ahmed Patel say that Gehlot will be CM for an initial time. Then he will be taken to national level politics.

Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are in a closed door meeting in Jaipur, say sources.
 

Sources say KC Venugopal's, the Observor for the Congress Legislature Party meeting, one to one meeting with the MLAs is over. Most MLAs have not stated a clear choice of CM. 

Venugopal, during the meeting, asked the MLAs what their opinion is and not giving any options. 

Many MLAs have not stated their choice and said that they stand by the decision of high command. 
 

Sachin Pilot has gone to meet the MLAs, say sources

Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot arrive at the Raj Bhawan to meet Rajasthan Governor

We've sought an appointment with Congress President tomorrow. We'll give him a report of today's events. The next step will be taken afterwards. We have met the Governor and staked claim to form the government. We'll further inform him tomorrow after discussing with High Command: Avinash Pandey, Congress

Rahul Gandhi is going to meet Congress leaders at 10 AM on Thursday: Sources

It's a normal procedure for Congress party legislators to give their feedback to observers. Observers will give feedback to Congress President and then a final decision will be taken. We've authorised Rahul Gandhi to take a final decision as to who should be the CM: Sachin Pilot

The process of electing the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan is presently ongoing. Congress party believes in the democratic process of knowing the viewpoint of each elected legislator: Randeep Surjewala

The assembly election results for Rajasthan have come in the favour of Congress and the party is poised to form a government in the state. As per the ECI, the final numbers are:

• Congress: 99 
• BJP: 73
• BSP: 6
• Others: 19 

(Source: http://eciresults.nic.in/)

Securing 99 of the total 119 seats, the Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in the state by a comfortable margin, falling just one seat short of gaining a majority. However, with party leaders Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot making overtures to 'anti-BJP' parties and independents, government formation is almost assured, especially seeing as BJP's Vasundhara Raje has already resigned. The biggest question that remains is who will be the Chief Minister of the state -- Pilot or Gehlot.   

Read: Taking No Chances In Rajasthan, Congress' Sachin Pilot Confirms Overtures To 'anti-BJP' Parties

Speaking with media on Wednesday, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot did not reveal much about the selection process. However, he said that he will accept the decision of his party's high command. 

"High command will decide who will be the CM after MLAs' meeting today (Wednesday). It will be clear in the afternoon. People are coming out, contacting us. Lets see, we will wait till evening . Even BJP rebels are contacting us. I am a loyal to my Congress party. It has been 40 years I am with Congress . Whatever high command will say , I will follow that"

"We didn't do communal politics or religious politics. We will take all anti-BJP people together. Farmers are our top priority", Sachin Pilot said, meanwhile.  

Even though Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot kept it neutral, CP Joshi gave an interesting hint about the selection of the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan. He said:

"Chief Minister candidate will be decided considering the fact that that Lok Sabha elections are coming".

Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have emerged as the front-runners for the post of Rajasthan's next Chief Minister. As per sources, the names of Bulaki Das Kala (who won from Bikaner west) and Hemraj Chaudhary ( who won from Badmer) might be considered for Deputy Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, sources have told Republic TV that Ashok Gehlot on a personal note met six independent MLAs at his residence.