Ashok Gehlot, son of Babu Laxman Singh Gehlot a magician who used to travel around the country to show his magic tricks. Gehlot came from a humble family background with no connection in politics. Gehlot is a science and law graduate, he also holds an MA degree in economics. He is married to Sunita Gehlot and has a son named Vaibhav Gehlot and a daughter named Sonia Gehlot.His son Vaibhav Gehlot contested in Lok Sabha elections of 2019 from Jodhpur, where he was supposed to get support from Mali community while his opponent BJP candidate was relying mostly upon Rajput votes.He lost to current Member of ParliamentGajendra Singh Shekhawat. at the Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security, in New Delhi on April 16, 2012. He is a member of the Indian National Congress party. He was influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi at a very young age and was actively engaged in social political work even as a student. During the East Bengali refugees crisis in 1971, he served in the refugee camps in the eastern states of India. It is there when former Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi first identified his organizational skills during one of her visits to the refugee camps. Gehlot was later appointed the first State President of National Students' Union of India and successfully organised Congress's Student Wing in the state. Gehlot is a staunch Gandhiite and he lived in Wardha to adapt his lifestyle as a Gandhiite. He eats before sunset and is a pure vegetarian and enjoys Satvik Meals. He is also a teetotaler.
Political career
He contested his first election for Rajasthan Legislative assembly in 1977 for Sardarpura constituency and lost by a margin of 4426 votes to his closest opponent Madhav Singh of Janata Party. Gehlot had to sell his motorcycle to contest his first election. In 1980 he contested Lok Sabha election from Jodhpur and won by a margin of 52,519 votes. In 1984 he was appointed as the Union Minister. In 1989 he lost the election from Jodhpur. When Congress party returned to power in 1991 he was appointed as Union Minister again by then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. He was discharged from his duty on 1993 and headed towards his home state Rajasthan to manage Congress political affairs. In 1998 Congress won a landslide victory by winning 153 out of 200 seats. Ashok Gehlot was appointed as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for the first time. In 2003, Congress lost Rajasthan and won merely 56 seats. In 2008 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election Congress was short of majority by 4 seats and Gehlot who was a well known troubleshooter in Congress was appointed as the Chief Minister to prevent instability and thus he was sworn in for the second time as Chief Minister. In 2013,Congress suffered its worst ever defeat by only winning 21 seats in 200 member assembly. Gehlot was then appointed as AICCGeneral Secretary in 2013. He managed Congress National Affairs. He remained at the position till 2018 and after 2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election, when Congress returned to power he was appointed as the Chief Minister for the third time despite strong candidacy of Sachin Pilot due to his role in revival of Congress after its worst ever defeat in Legislative Elections. Ashok Gehlot was appointed due to his experience in administration. He is also known as a tough administrator. Sachin Pilot was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister. On 14 July 2020 Sachin Pilot was sacked from his Cabinet and PCC President of Rajasthan due to enmity between the ranks of Congress Party in Rajasthan.
