Senior Congress leader roped in to mediate between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot
Continuing with the attempt, after rounds of meeting between the two leaders anchored by Congress’ central leadership, the party now has roped in Harish Choudhary to mediate between the two
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asked senior party leader Harish Choudhary to chalk out a plan to settle differences between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, senior party leaders said.
The development comes at a time when the state will go to polls later this year in December.
Since the formation of the Congress government in Rajasthan in December 2018, the Congress has appointed three state in-charges – Avinash Pande, Ajay Maken and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
The party leaders said that the three were unable to find a common ground and fill the increasing void between the two leaders.
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Continuing with the attempt, after rounds of meeting between the two leaders anchored by Congress’ central leadership, the party now has roped in former cabinet minister and MLA from Baytu, Choudhary to mediate between the two.
Choudhary is also general secretary in-charge of the Punjab Congress.
“Chaudhary has been asked to find a solution. He has met both Gehlot and Pilot,” said a senior Rajasthan Congress leader.
Choudhary is considered close to Gandhi and party leaders believe that he was speaking to both the leaders at his request.
Chaudhary had held series of meetings with leaders including Gehlot, Pilot, Randhawa and ministers Pramod Jain Bhaya, Ram Lal Jat, Parsadi Lal Meena and Lal Chand Katari in the past five to six days, the leader quoted above said.
A senior party leader close to the development said Choudhary has been asked to mediate the issues between Gehlot and Pilot as nothing has worked so far.
“Gehlot is unwell and might be that Chaudhary is acting as messenger between – the high command, Gehlot and Pilot. The high command is considering bringing a change in the organisation and government, which is expected soon,” he added.
During the meeting with Pilot, Choudhary conveyed Gandhi’s message, which was to find a way to sort out the differences.
Pilot also shared his stand on the issues raised by him, said the leader.
On similar lines, Choudhary had a meeting with Gehlot – asking the duo to work on resolving the issues.
Another senior leader stated that Choudhary conveyed that in the party’s interest and for returning to power in Rajasthan, both Gehlot and Pilot need to work together.
Speaking to HT, Choudhary said that both Gehlot and Pilot are mature leaders and they do not need any mediator.
“Certainly, there are some issues but not differences”, he said refuting rumours of leadership giving him responsibility to mediate between the leaders.
Choudhary said that ahead of elections, leaders from the state used to meet central leaders.
Regarding his meeting with Gandhi, he said that being in charge of Punjab, he has to regularly meet him.
Asked about the Rajasthan situation, he said, “Every party is facing such issues and they resolve it accordingly. It does not mean that there is any faction in the party, said Choudhary adding that Congress is all united and going to repeat the government in Rajasthan.”
Replying to a question, Choudhary said that he is not aware that Pilot is going to get a new responsibility saying that it is purely the prerogative of party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
He also refused to be in the race for the PCC chief position.
Differences between Gehlot, a three-time chief minister, and Pilot spilled out into the open in 2020 when the latter rebelled against the government, plunging the Congress administration into crisis. Then last year, lawmakers close to Gehlot did not attend a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Jaipur called to elect a new leader at a time when it seemed almost certain that Gehlot would become the Congress president and Pilot would succeed him as chief minister.
The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot intensified on April 11 after the latter demanded action from the state government against alleged corruption by the previous Vasundhara Raje-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime, reconstitution of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and compensation to those affected by the job exam paper leaks. In April, Pilot had observed a day-long fast over his demands, even as Randhawa said the protest was against the interests of the party.