Chief minister Ashok Gehlot again managed to put a stamp of his superiority in Rajasthan by keeping the key portfolios of home and finance with himself despite stiff resistance from his deputy Sachin Pilot.

Sources said Pilot, who settled for the deputy chief minister’s post, wanted either home or finance to demonstrate he was in control but Gehlot did not yield.

The differences between the two were almost irreconcilable and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had to mediate at a marathon meeting before the portfolios could be announced at the odd hour of 2.15 at night.

Gehlot kept with himself nine departments: finance, home, excise, law and justice, planning, general administration, personnel and IT.

Deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot The Telegraph file picture

Pilot got five: rural development, PWD, Panchayati Raj, science and technology and statistics.

While the veteran B.D. Kalla was given power, art and culture and ground water, senior leader Raghu Sharma got health and information and broadcasting.

Congress leaders are worried about the daunting task of delivering on the lofty promises before the Lok Sabha elections in April-May as the rivalry between Gehlot and Pilot has cropped up as a hurdle.

While central leaders feel only synergy between the two can offer good governance, the unhappiness of leaders like C.P. Joshi can also hurt the party’s prospects.