Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot termed the reconciliation between him and senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot “permanent” amid speculation that Pilot may break-away from the Congress and announce a new party on June 11, the birth anniversary of his father Rajesh Pilot.
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In an interview to a Youtube channel, his first public comments since the May 29 meeting of the two leaders with senior Congress leaders in Delhi, Gehlot said: “Hamari toh suleh permanent hai” (our reconciliation is permanent). He refused to give details of the deal and blamed the media for “unnecessarily” blowing the issue.
Gehlot said party’s national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal, the three others present at the meeting, had emphasized that everyone has to work with love and affection and differences should end there. “The question is not of an individual but of the country and the state.”
The Rajasthan chief minister termed the September 25, 2022, incident, in which close to 90 MLAs considered close to him did not attend a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Jaipur called by the party’s central leadership to elect a new CLP leader, as unfortunate. At the time, it seemed almost certain that Gehlot would become the Congress’ President and Pilot, succeed him as chief minister -- but the veteran chief minister clearly had other plans. The legislators did meet, but at Gehlot’s residence , and only to deft the party’s central leadership’s move to replace Gehlot.
{{/usCountry}}The Rajasthan chief minister termed the September 25, 2022, incident, in which close to 90 MLAs considered close to him did not attend a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Jaipur called by the party’s central leadership to elect a new CLP leader, as unfortunate. At the time, it seemed almost certain that Gehlot would become the Congress’ President and Pilot, succeed him as chief minister -- but the veteran chief minister clearly had other plans. The legislators did meet, but at Gehlot’s residence , and only to deft the party’s central leadership’s move to replace Gehlot.
{{/usCountry}}“It was different thing and I still feel sorry for the same. It was beyond imagination that the proposal couldn’t get passed. There is and will always be highest respect for Sonia Gandhi. Rajasthan Congress has always been with the high command,” Gehlot said in the interview.
Responding to a question on the 2020 political crisis, caused by a group of MLAs led by Pilot rebelling Gehlot said: “I have forgiven everyone, when we came out of the hotel in Jaisalmer (close to 100 MLAs stayed in hotel during political crisis in July 2020), I said ‘forget and forgive’. I still say that all Congressmen, even those who don’t agree with me…that today Congress needs everyone and the country needs Congress.”
Read here: 'Stay, join BJP or go solo?' Sachin Pilot's future has Rajasthan Congress at attention
He did, however, term the crisis “unfortunate”.
The Congress would win the assembly elections scheduled later this year, Gehlot said. “We will form government unitedly in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, and this is in the country’s interest.”