About Ashok Gehlout

Ashok Gehlot, a seasoned politician and a senior member of the Indian National Congress (INC), currently serves as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Born on May 3, 1951, Ashok Gehlot started his political journey in the 1970s as a student leader in Rajasthan. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Congress party and became a key figure in state politics. Gehlot’s dedication and astute political acumen led to his appointment as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for the first time in 1998. Gehlot’s second term as Chief Minister began in 2008 and lasted until 2013. Known for his ability to maintain a delicate balance between party politics and governance, Ashok Gehlot has also played a significant role within the Congress party. He has served as a trusted advisor and strategist, contributing to the party’s decision-making processes at both the state and national levels. Gehlot’s experience and political expertise have made him a key asset to the party’s leadership. In recent years, Ashok Gehlot’s political influence and stature have further grown. His successful leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he effectively managed the healthcare crisis and implemented measures to mitigate its impact, has earned him praise and admiration. As the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections approach, Ashok Gehlot’s leadership and political strategies will play a vital role in shaping the Congress party’s prospects in the state. However, a constant rift with Sachin Pilot has already rung an alarm bell on the future of Congress in the state. Pilot, who has publicly criticised his own party government’s policies, has kept himself away from the party functions and held a daylong fast to mount pressure on the Gehlot government to start an investigation into alleged corruption cases when BJP was in office from 2013-18 with Vasundhara Raje as chief minister. The son of a magician from Jodhpur, Gehlot has always played his cards with tact. Over the last four decades, the soft-spoken 67-year-old has worked with three generations of the Nehru-Gandhi family and has been Union minister in the Cabinets of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, besides Manmohan Singh’s, holding portfolios of tourism, sports, tourism, civil aviation and textiles. Gehlot, whose first stint as CM coincided with Sonia Gandhi’s elevation as the Congress president, has since then become an indispensable cog in the Congress machinery in Rajasthan. In his second stint as CM, he started the populist scheme of providing free medicines. The son of a magician from Jodhpur, Gehlot has always played his cards with tact. Over the last four decades, the soft-spoken 67-year-old has worked with three generations of the Nehru-Gandhi family and has been Union minister in the Cabinets of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, besides Manmohan Singh’s, holding portfolios of tourism, sports, tourism, civil aviation and textiles. Gehlot, whose first stint as CM coincided with Sonia Gandhi’s elevation as the Congress president, has since then become an indispensable cog in the Congress machinery in Rajasthan. In his second stint as CM, he started the populist scheme of providing free medicines. Gehlot’s influence in Marwar region, comprising several districts of western Rajasthan, stems from the fact that the Mali community, to which he belongs, owns several profitable businesses in the region. His diehard supporters even call him the “Gandhi of Marwar”.