The Congress president Sonia Gandhi has nominated senior Congress leader Ajay Maken as the general secretary, incharge of Rajasthan in lieu of Avinash Pandey, who till now was the general secretary AICC with the charge of Rajasthan Congress who’d been greatly instrumental in resolving the Rajdhani’s political crisis.
The appoinment letter was issued by the senior general secretary of All India Congress Committe KC Venugopal.
As per the appointment letter : The hon’ble Congress president has appointed Shri Ajay Maken as the general secretary incharge of Rajasthan in place of Avinash Pandey with immediate effect.
The letter adds that the party whole heartedly appreciates the contribution of Avinash Pandey.
Ajay Maken had been in Rajasthan since day one of the crisis working in close coordination as a conduit between the central leadership n the CM Ashok Gehlot n all the MLAs till the last and was highly contributive in resolving the vexed imbroglio in Rajasthan finally ensuring the re come back of Ashok Gehlot as the Rajasthan CM. He stood with the Congress party n the Gandhi family during its thick n thin.
This second time elevation has been a gift by Sonia Gandhi on the recommendation from Ashok Gehlot and other Congress leaders viz. Rahul Gandhi n Priyanka Gandhi n K. C. Venu Gopal etc. Maken had been the party general secretary in the past as well but had resigned to lead the Delhi Congress under extremely challenging situations.
He was minister in Delhi government twice n an urban development minister during Dr. Manmohan Singh’s Congress government.
It may be recalled that Ajay Maken has been a two-time Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha from 2004-2014) and three-time Member of Legislative Assembly of Delhi (from 1993-2004).
At the National level, Maken was the youngest Union Cabinet Minister from the Congress Party for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (2012–13), Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Sports and Youth Affairs (2011–12), Union Minister of State for Home Affairs (2009-2011), Union Minister of State for Urban Development (2006-2007).
At the State level, he was Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly (2003–04) at the age of 39, Maken was the youngest Speaker in the Country, a Cabinet Minister of Power, Transport and Tourism (2001-2003) at the age of 37, the youngest till that time and Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit (1998-2001).
Maken was the first NSUI candidate in a direct election to be elected as the President of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) in 1985, the first B.Sc. Chemistry (Hons) final year student in this post.
Meanwhile according to the latest reports the Congress high command has constituted a high level committee to hear n resolve the grievances of Sachin Pilot n his MLAs because of which they became rebels n formed a separate group challenging Ashok Gehlot. THE COMMITTE MEMBERS comprising of Ahmed Patel, Ajay Maken n KC Venugopal will deliberate with these MLAs n try to fulfil their demands in order to amicably resolve the issue though they have on the advice of the central leadership already extended their support to CM Ashok Gehlot n helped resolved the crisis.
