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Haven’t spoken to Sachin Pilot in 18 months: Ashok Gehlot
Gehlot said Pilot initially wanted to join the BJP but the lawmakers loyal to him were unwilling to do so. He added that is when he thought of forming a third front, a new party, and “finish the Congress in Rajasthan”.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has accused Sachin Pilot of plotting to topple his government from day one and said he was not on talking terms with his former deputy since the Congress returned to power in the state 18 months back. He maintained he will welcome Pilot with open arms if he chose to return. “He was three-year-old when I became MP [member of Parliament] for the first time. I have ties with his family going back decades. I will welcome him with a hug.”
Gehlot said there was no dialogue between them over the last year and a half. “A minister who does not talk to the chief minister, does not take his advice, keeps no dialogue with him... There can be opposition but the dialogue is necessary for a democracy,” he said in an interview to a TV channel.
Gehlot said Pilot initially wanted to join the BJP but the lawmakers loyal to him were unwilling to do so. He added that is when he thought of forming a third front, a new party, and “finish the Congress in Rajasthan”.
Gehlot maintained he has the support of over 100 lawmakers in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly while Pilot has just 2-15 with him. “My government is sitting with over 100 MLAs [members of the legislative assembly] but you want to topple that and want to form a government with the support of the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party]. People will never forgive you,” Gehlot said.
He called the entire matter unfortunate and added the internal quarrel should have been resolved internally. “If you do politics in connivance with your rivals, then what is left in a democracy?”
The Rajasthan police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) on July 11 issued a notice to Pilot to record his statement a day after it registered a case against two BJP members for allegedly trying to bribe legislators to topple the state government. The notice triggered the ongoing political crisis with Pilot calling it Gehlot’s attempt to “humiliate” him.
Gehlot said 10 to 12 notices, including one to him, were served but an environment was being created that “poor Pilot” has got a notice. “Our party is the complainant and 10-12 notices have been served. We have not named him. We have said there was a conspiracy by the BJP to topple the government. Why is he going around giving clarifications?” asked Gehlot.
Gehlot said Pilot and lawmakers loyal to him planned to rebel on June 10. He added he learnt about their plan, thwarted it, and kept all the lawmakers at a resort. “They were planning to leave at 2 am. I had to save the government. I woke up all collectors at 1 am and I asked all party leaders to reach Jaipur the next day and almost all of them reached. Then these people realised the truth and started saying there was no conspiracy and there was no need for placing MLAs under lockdown. But I had proof then and I have proof now.”
He asked the younger leaders to show patience and trust their leaders. “You should not betray the party. The party has given you so much.”
Gehlot said he has been a three-time central minister, three-time state party chief, three-time Congress general secretary, and three-time chief minister because he rose through the ranks. “Our generation leaders worked hard and stayed loyal to the party and its ideology and so we are where we are today.”
Gehlot said he became the chief minister because people wanted it and eventually the Congress high command backed him. “If I had felt that the public and MLAs were not with me, I would have myself told the high command.”
He called the suggestions that the seniors should retire irrelevant. “We too were juniors when we joined and we are still active today. Now people say they should sit at home. If we leave politics, what will we do?”
Gehlot said he supports Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement that those who want to leave are welcome to go. “Those who want to leave should leave. Those who do not have a commitment towards the party... they are liabilities who are just waiting to grab posts... those who are committed do not get a chance. Those who are opportunists and traitors, if they leave then a new form of the party will come forth.”
He rejected suggestions that the departure of leaders perceived to be close to Gandhi put a question mark on the latter’s leadership. “There is no question mark on his leadership but on the thought process of these leaders [who have left].”
