The Congress will continue to engage with former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and might announce a suitable position for him in the run up to the assembly elections in the country’s geographically largest state later this year if the high command is convinced that he will stay in the party, Congress leaders said.
Also read: 15-yr-old girl, 25-yr-old man found dead in Rajasthan’s Barmer
Pilot, who rebelled against chief minister Ashok Gehlot in 2020, observed his father Rajesh Pilot’s death anniversary in Dausa on Sunday, when he vowed to act against injustice. His demands were not aimed to defame anyone, Pilot said in an apparent reference to Gehlot.
“I have not gone back on my promises in the past and will not do in future,” Pilot said. “PMs and CMs come and go. What remains is people’s trust. I am not after any post. I am for people trust. In 20-25 years of my political career, I have done nothing to break this trust. And I want to not allow you to lower your trust on me.”
The Congress leadership will continue to follow the Rajasthan situation closely, a functionary said, declining to be named. He said that the meeting between Pilot, Gehlot and the party high command on May 29 was crucial and involved an in-depth analysis of the situation.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress leadership will continue to follow the Rajasthan situation closely, a functionary said, declining to be named. He said that the meeting between Pilot, Gehlot and the party high command on May 29 was crucial and involved an in-depth analysis of the situation.
{{/usCountry}}“In the meeting, Pilot was reminded of his rebellion. But the party views both Gehlot and Pilot as assets and a suitable position would be offered to Pilot in the coming days. There is a possibility that the announcement on Pilot might come soon,” the leader said.
There is no possibility of projecting Pilot as the chief ministerial face, as demanded by his loyalists, and reinstating him state Congress chief might not be accepted by the Gehlot camp, a second leader said, seeking anonymity.
“We don’t know what he will do (forming his own outfit), but the Congress is like a large ship and leaders can be honourably accommodated,” said the first leader. Some Congress leaders said Pilot can be made the chief of the campaign committee of the Rajasthan assembly election to be held towards the end of this year.
Pilot is unlikely to announce a new party on his father’s death anniversary, HT had reported on June 6.
Pilot, who has hit the roads over three issues against the Gehlot government, is waiting for administrative and political measures for his three demands—disbanding Rajasthan public service commission, compensation for those affected by government job exam paper leak cases and probe against corruption charges during the preceding Vasundhara Raje regime.
Also read: Reconciliation with Sachin Pilot is permanent, says Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot
The Congress has maintained that 90% of his issues have been resolved even as the Pilot camp claimed that a week after his meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi, where Gehlot was also present, nothing has happened.
“In the meeting, 90% of the issues were resolved, and the remaining 10% have no such issue,” Addressing the media in Jaipur last week, Congress’ Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had told the media in Jaipur last week.