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‘Done after much brainstorming and exercise’: Pilot on Rajasthan cabinet reshuffle
Pilot said four Dalits are being inducted into the cabinet and the representation of tribal and women has been increased
Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Sunday expressed his happiness over the cabinet reshuffle by chief minister Ashok Gehlot saying all sections of the society have been given representation and the Congress was ready to take on the BJP in 2023 assembly elections.
Clamour for cabinet reshuffle had been growing for several months with MLAs loyal to Pilot demanding that it should be a balanced cabinet having presentation of all caste and communities. This is the first cabinet reshuffle in the Gehlot government, which is going to complete three years of its term next month.
“I am happy that the issues raised, including increasing representation of Dalits, have been addressed by the party leadership,” he told reporters at his residence, hours before the swearing in ceremony. Five of his loyalists were among the 15 ministers sworn in on Sunday at Raj Bhawan.
“It has been tried that no one should be left out and the decision has been made keeping in view every section and region. The representation of SC and women has increased manifold in the cabinet. This in itself is very important which we all should welcome,” he said.
The former CM, who had rebelled against Gehlot in July 2020 and legislators loyal to him were putting up in a hotel in Manesar, Haryana, expressed satisfaction that four Dalits legislators have been made ministers and said consensus-building within the party has worked.
“Work has been done to give representation, participation in proper proportion to the section which has always stood with the Congress. For this, I thank Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Ajay Maken, Ashok Gehlot and Govind Singh Dotasra. They discussed with all the leaders and such a big reshuffle has been done, it was done with a very comprehensive approach after taking feedback from all the leaders and workers,” he said.
Pilot said that after the reshuffle, there would be changes in the state Congress also, which would help the party to take on the BJP in 2023 assembly polls.
On asking about the members from his faction finding a place in the cabinet, he said, there is no faction in the party and all will work unitedly to win the 2023-assembly elections. “There is only one faction - the faction of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and we all are the members. It will be our endeavour to move forward collectively and win the next assembly elections,” he said.
On what role would he play now, Pilot said that he will do whatever the party decides for him. There has been speculation that Pilot would be made general secretary in-charge of an important state. To begin with, he is expected to get important reasonability for Uttar Pradesh polls.
“I have always worked for the party. My aim is to bring party’s government again in Rajasthan in 2023,” he said.
In July 2020, Pilot and 18 MLAs supporting him had taken a rebellious stand against the leadership of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after he was removed as state Congress president and three MLAs loyal to him were sacked as ministers. As a compromise after 20-day drama, in which MLAs loyal to him were lodged in a Haryana hotel, the Congress party formed a three-member committee to look into the issues raised by Pilot.
Pilot said the committee which was formed last year to look into the issues raised by him has delivered the first result. The young Congress leader expects that those loyal to him would find a place in political appointments, expected to start from next week.
