The chief ministerial race in Rajasthan turned ugly on Thursday when supporters of Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Union Minister Sis Ram Ola clashed in Jaipur ahead of the meeting of the legislature party to choose the new leader.

Slogan-shouting supporters of the two sides, who had gathered in large numbers outside the hotel where the All India Congress Committee observers were staying, came to blows before police could separate them and bring the situation under control.

Supporters of Pradesh Congress Committee president P C Joshi, who lost by one vote in Nathdwara constituency, chairperson of National Commission for Women Girja Vyas and former speaker Paras Ram Maderna, also raised slogans in support of their leaders.

Jat leaders in the party and outside have been demanding that a member of their community should be made the chief minister while Gehlot, a former chief minister, appeared to be ahead in the race for the top post.

AICC observers Digvijay Singh, Madhusudan Mistri, Vivek Bansal, Virendra Singh, Mukul Vasnik are in Jaipur to attend the meeting to choose the leader of the legislature party.