Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s sister Priyanka Gandhi, pitch forked the idea of pushing young talents to the fore apparently with long-term interests in major States in the Hindi-belt of Northern India and elsewhere. Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t implemented in the final analysis.

Congress managed to upset the applecart of the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where counting took place early this week after a 3-week long phase of polling in these States. Counting was also taken up in Telangana and Mizoram. Congress wrested power back from its archrival BJP in the three States in the ‘Hindi belt’ while it lost Mizoram to MNF and fared poorly in KCR’s Telangana.

Buoyed by the party’s tremendous showing in MP-C-R, Priyanka had earlier putforth the idea of pitchforking young blood to the fore to serve the party’s interests in these States for a long term. For some reasons, though, Congress have opted for seniors Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath to take over as the chief-ministers of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh respectively while it is yet to decide its chief-ministerial candidate for Chhattisgarh.

It turns out that Rahul got many ‘inputs’ from his sister Priyanka and mother and former party president Sonia on how to select chief-ministers in these three States. While one section of the party batted to keep seniors as chief-ministers, a large section of the party wanted young, dynamic and hard-working leaders to be honoured with the coveted post(s) of chief-minister.

As per the latest arrangement, young Turks Sachin Pilot and Jyodiraditya Scindia have ‘agreed’ to step aside and make way for Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath (respectively in that order) to take over as chief-ministers in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. This only means that Priyanka’s suggestion, as such, has been put on hold for the time being!

Last heard, Pilot and Scindia might be made the respective Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (respectively) ahead of Parliamentary elections to be held in April-May next year!