Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said Rahul Gandhi is the prime ministerial face of the Congress and the only leader in the country who can take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He made the remark shortly after the Supreme Court stayed Mr Gandhi's conviction in the 2019 defamation case over the Modi surname.
Mr Gehlot, who once emerged as the frontrunner for the Congress president's post, made it clear again that he would rather remain a part of Rajasthan politics.
"For us, Rahul Gandhi is the PM face. Rest is up to the high command," the Congress leader told reporters. "We will see what happens further." Mr Gehlot said this has been the situation since the time when Mr Gandhi was the party president.
The Chief Minister was reminded that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge recently indicated that the party is not interested in the PM's post, but in opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Mr Gehlot said he doesn't know what was discussed among the opposition leaders and Mr Kharge might be right.
But he added, "People of this country and Congressmen know that if there is someone in competition with PM Modi, it's Rahul Gandhi." Mr Gehlot rejected the possibility that he could himself be the PM candidate in 2024 if the Congress wins Rajasthan Assembly polls this year.
He said he has decided to stay with Rajasthan politics.
"I have resolved to serve Rajasthan till my last breath. So the question of becoming a candidate in Delhi politics will never arise," he added.
Mr Gehlot said he will fight the Rajasthan polls on the basis of his work.
The Supreme Court decision Friday paves the way for the revival of Mr Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership. The leader was disqualified in March, a consequence of being awarded a two-year sentence by a lower court.
Mr Gehlot welcomed the top court's decision and said that everything is now going in a "positive direction" for the Congress party.
He said the BJP had conspired against Mr Gandhi due to his increasing popularity to disqualify him from the Lok Sabha.
The chief minister also expressed confidence that the Congress will win the upcoming assembly elections in the state. He said those considered as BJP vote banks have also started saying that the Congress would once again form the government in Rajasthan.
"Members of the families who have traditionally been the supporters of the BJP are now saying that the government will repeat in Rajasthan," he claimed.
Mr Gehlot also lashed out at the BJP leaders in Rajasthan, saying they were not following the traditions which the leaders in the past had set.
He said by commenting on injuries in his feet, the BJP leaders were just downsizing their stature.
Mr Gehlot said the BJP leaders were touching new lows every day through their statements.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)