Jaipur, Nov 18 (IANS): Congress leader Ajay Maken, who recently tendered his resignation as the party in-charge in Rajasthan for inaction against rebel leaders, has been made a star campaigner for the December 5 Sardarshahar bypolls.

Maken has been named in the list of 40 star campaigners released on Thursday. But three Ashok Gehlot loyalists -- state ministers Mahesh Joshi, Shanti Dhariwal and RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore -- do not feature in the list.

Meanwhile, Gehlot and former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot are also among the 40 names.

In his letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on November 16, Maken expressed his inability and unwillingness to continue in the position and referred to events that took place in the state on September 25.

Maken said that instead of taking action against the three leaders guilty of indiscipline on September 25, they were being given attention in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The Congress high command had called a CLP meeting on September 25. However, Gehlot loyalists also called a parallel meeting due to which they were served notices.

Now, these leaders were being given tasks for the Bharat Jodo Yatra left Maken upset, prompting him to tender his resignation.

Meanwhile, state minister Rajendra Singh Gudha and MLA Divya Maderna, who have been continuously attacking the Gehlot camp, also do not feature in the star campaigner list.

At the same time Harish Chowdhary, the state in-charge of Punjab, has not been included either.