Ashok Gehlot

Ashok Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister, Rajasthan, India
23rd Chief Minister of Rajasthan
In office 13 December 2008 (2008-12-13) – 12 December 2013 (2013-12-12)
Preceded by	Vasundhara Raje Scindia
Succeeded by	Vasundhara Raje Scindia
Constituency	Sardarpura, Jodhpur
21st Chief Minister of Rajasthan
In office 1 December 1998 (1998-12-01) – 8 December 2003 (2003-12-08)
Preceded by	Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Succeeded by	Vasundhara Raje Scindia
Union Minister of State for Tourism and Civil Aviation
In office 2 September 1982 (1982-09-02) – 7 February 1984 (1984-02-07)
Prime Minister	Indira Gandhi / Rajiv Gandhi
In office 31 December 1984 – 26 September 1985
Prime Minister	Rajiv Gandhi
Deputy Union Minister for Sports
In office 7 February 1984 – 31 October 1984
Prime Minister	Rajiv Gandhi
Union Minister of State (Textiles) Independent Charge
In office 21 June 1991 – 18 January 1993
Prime Minister	P.V. Narasimha Rao
Personal details
Born	3 May 1951 Mahamandir, Jodhpur
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Sunita Gehlot
Children	Vaibhav Gehlot Sonia Gehlot
Religion	Hindu

Ashok Gehlot (Hindi: अशोक गहलोत, born 3 May 1951) is an Indian politician who was Chief Minister of Rajasthan from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2008 to 2013.

Personal

Ashok Gehlot, son of Lachman Singh Gehlot, was born on 3 May 1951 in a Mali^[1] family in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.^{[citation needed]} A Science and Law graduate, Gehlot also holds a MA degree in Economics. He is married to Sunita Gehlot and has a son and a daughter. He is a Hindu and a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) party.^[2]

Political career

Gehlot was active in student body politics and social service activities. He was elected for the first time to the 7th Lok Sabha (1980–84) from Jodhpur Parliamentary Constituency in 1980. Gehlot has represented Jodhpur Parliamentary Constituency in the 8th Lok Sabha (1984–1989), 10th Lok Sabha (1991–1996), 11th Lok Sabha (1996–1998), and 12th Lok Sabha (1998–1999).

Elected from Sardarpura (Jodhpur) Assembly Constituency, he became a member of the 11th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in February 1999. Gehlot was again re-elected from the same Assembly Constituency on 4 December 2003 for the 12th Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha and on 8 December 2008 for the 13th Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha.

Union Minister

Ashok Gehlot served in the Union Cabinet of Indian Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi P.V. Narsimha Rao. He has served in the Union Cabinet three times. He remained Union Deputy Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation from 2 September 1982 to 7 February 1984, when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. Thereafter, he became the Deputy Minister for Sports serving at the Sports Ministry from 7 February 1984 to 31 October 1984 and again from 12 November 1984 to 31 December 1984. He was elevated to the rank of State Minister. Gehlot served as the Union Minister of State, Tourism and Civil Aviation from 31 December 1984 to 26 September 1985. Later, he was made the Union Minister of State, Textiles with Independent Charge - a portfolio held by the Prime Minister himself. Gehlot held this portfolio from 21 June 1991 to 18 January 1993.

Minister, Government of Rajasthan

Gehlot served for a short period of time, as the Home and PHED Minister, Government of Rajasthan from June 1989 to November 1989.

All India Congress Committee (AICC)

Gehlot was made General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee on 17 July 2004. He held this post up to 18 February 2009. Gehlot was made Member (special Invitee) of the Congress Working Committee and given charge of Himachal Pradesh and Chattisgarh States. He held this responsibility from January 2004 to July 2004.

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) Chief

Ashok Gehlot became the President of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee at the age of 34. His first tenure as the RPCC Chief lasted from September 1985 to June 1989. He became RPCC Chief the second time on 1 December 1994 and held this post until 14 April 1999.

Gehlot strengthened the Youth Wing of Congress party as the President of Rajasthan NSUI from 1973 to 1979. He served the City District Congress Committee, Jodhpur as its President from 1979 to 1982. He was also the General Secretary of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (I) in 1982.

Lok Sabha Legislative Experience

He had been member of the Public Accounts Committee (Lok Sabha) from 1980 to 1982. He was also Member of the Consultative Committee on Communication (10th Lok Sabha). He served as Member, Standing Committee on Railways (10th and 11th Lok Sabha) besides being member of the Consultative Committee on External Affairs (11th Lok Sabha).

Chief Minister of Rajasthan

Ashok Gehlot's first tenure of Chief Ministership (1-12-1998 to 8-12-2003) was characterized by his supporters as successful for a system of "unprecedented drought management, power generation, infrastructure development, employment generation, industrial and tourism promotion, financial management and good governance". In the 2003, Rajasthan State Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) elections Gehlot's Congress Party lost the vote and Vasundhara Raje Scindia, the state President of the primary opposition party, the Bhartiya Janata Party, was sworn in as Chief Minister of the state.

A popular slogan for Gehlot has been "Save Water, Save Electricity, Educate All" "पानी बचाओ, बिजली बचाओ, सबको पढ़ाओ."

Ashok Gehlot was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for his second non-consecutive term on 13 December 2008.

Rajasthan chief minister Gehlot is in the eye of a storm over allegations of favouring companies that employed the services of his son, Vaibhav Gehlot. The Gehlot government allegedly awarded contracts worth several crores of rupees to Om Metals and Triton Hotels, which had hired Vaibhav Gehlot as their legal consultant.^[3]

More charges of nepotism have been levied against Ashok Gehlot. It is said that he favoured the a real estate company Shouri Constructions, where his daughter Sonia Gehlot and her husband Gautam Ankhand are directors. Gautam Ankhand said, "We are staying there not because we are shareholders or directors, but because of our relations."

Gehlot allegedly allocated the contract to renovate the famous heritage area of Jal Mahal - an area worth rupees 2000 crores. Shourie Constructions was earlier part of the real estate giant Kalpataru group. What has raised many eyebrows is that a lease of 99 years at the rate of just rupees 2.5 crores per annum had been granted to Kalpataru for renovating 432 acres of the Jal Mahal complex.^[4]

Although Mr Gehlot denied this by saying "The allegations are completely baseless and false. I am against nepotism, and I never extend any undue favour to my family members or others. Those who are close to me know this fact very well,"^[5] Ashok Gehlot is facing allegations of allotting sandstone mines around Jodhpur's 'Bada Kotecha' village, to his close relatives. Of 37 mines allotted there, 19 went to Gehlot's relatives at throwaway prices including Manjula Gehlot, wife of the CM's brother Agrasen, Shalini Gehlot, his brother's daughter-in-law and Veena Kachhawa, wife of his nephew Jaswant Singh. The IBN Network does in fact have the names of all the relatives favored. But according to the people of Rajasthan, Gehlot has given a stable Government that ensured the welfare of all the sections of the people.

Positions held

According to a biographical article published by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Secretariat, Gehlot has held the following positions:^[2]

Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha):

• 1980 - 1984 - Seventh Lok Sabha
• 1984 - 1989 - Eighth Lok Sabha
• 1991 - 1996 - Tenth Lok Sabha
• 1996 - 1998 - Eleventh Lok Sabha
• 1998 - 1999 - Twelfth Lok Sabha

Others:

• 1980 - 1982 - Member, Public Accounts Committee, Lok Sabha
• 1982 - 1983 - Union Deputy Minister, Department of Tourism
• 1983 - 1984 - Union Deputy Minister, Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation
• 1984 - 1984 - Union Deputy Minister, Department of Sports
• 1984 - 1985 - Union Minister of State, Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation
• 1989 - 1989 - Minister, Department of Home and PHED, Govt. of Rajasthan
• 1991 - 1993 - Union Minister of State, Department of Textiles (Independent Charge)
• 1991 - 1996 - Consultative Committee on Communication ( Lok Sabha )
• 1991 - 1998 - Standing Committee on Railway (10th & 11th Lok Sabha)
• 1996 - 1998 - Consultative Committee on External Affairs ( Lok Sabha )
• 1998 - 2003 - Chief Minister, Rajasthan
• 2008-2013- Chief Minister, Rajasthan

Other positions held:

• 1974 - 1979 - President, Rajasthan NSUI
• 1979 - 1982 - President, City District Congress Committee, Jodhpur
• 1982 - General Secretary, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee
• 1985 - 1989, 1994–97, 1997 - 1999 - President, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee

Philanthropy

Gehlot worked in the refugee camps at Bangaon and 24 Parganas districts (WB) during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. Inspired by his keen interest in Social service, Gehlot rendered his services for the development of slums and jhuggi areas and actively took part in camps organized by Tarun Shanti Sena at Sevagram, Wardha, Aurangabad, Indore and several places. He contributed to the extension of adult education through Nehru Yuva Kendra. He has been actively associated with Kumar Sahitya Parishad as well as Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Book Bank, Jodhpur.

Gehlot is the founder president of Bharat Seva Sansthan . Dedicated to the social service, the Sansthan arranges for ambulance services and free books for the poor students through Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Book Bank. The Sansthan has established a reading room in Jodhpur at Rajiv Gandhi Seva Sadan.

Gehlot is also the Chairman of Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle, New Delhi which caters to the interests of university and college students and teachers across the country.

References

External links

• All About Mr. Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister, Rajasthan, INDIA Website : www.cmo.rajasthan.gov.in
• Ashok Gehlot on TOI Ashok Gehlot took everyone by surprise earlier this month when he decided to clamp down on Pravin Togadia of the VHP. The firebrand Hindutva leader was arrested for distributing trishuls and making inflammatory speeches. In a conversation with Neelabh Mishra, the chief minister defends his government’s action: