‘Seems like his leader is Raje, not Sonia Gandhi’: Pilot attacks Ashok Gehlot
Sachin Pilot has announced starting 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' from May 11 for five days from Ajmer to Jaipur to raise issues of corruption.
Sachin Pilot launched an all-out attack Tuesday against Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot after the latter claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party's Vasundhara Raje had 'saved his government from toppling in 2020'; the reference was to a failed rebellion - that nearly brought down the Congress government - by Pilot and some MLAs loyal to him. "After listening to Gehlot's speech, it seems his leader is Raje and not Sonia Gandhi," Pilot said.
"He (Gehlot) alleges that the BJP tried to topple his government... then he says a BJP leader helped save his government. He should explain the contradiction," Pilot told reporters.
"Some people want to weaken the Congress... we will not let them succeed. After listening to Gehlot's speech, I understand why we could not act on corruption cases in 4.5 years."
"No leader is more important than the public," Pilot declared.
Pilot's harsh words mark an escalation in his conflict with Gehlot and come months before Rajasthan - one of only two states the Congress is in power (on its own) - holds an election.
The attack also comes a day before Karnataka - where the Congress is bidding to unseat the BJP - votes in the first big Assembly election of 2023.
Earlier, speaking at a programme in Rajasthan's Dholpur on Sunday, Gehlot said Raje and two other BJP leaders - Shobha Rani and Kailash Meghwal - had 'saved' his government by declining to take advantage of the Congress' infighting.
"Vasundhara Raje Scindia... said it has never been our tradition to topple the elected government on the basis of money. They did not support those who toppled the government due to which our government survived," Gehlot claimed.
Also read: ‘Conspiracy, insult’: Vasundhara Raje after Ashok Gehlot claims she saved his govt in 2020
Gehlot and Pilot have been at loggerheads over the past few years as the younger leader bids to replace the veteran in the state's top post. Three years ago Sachin Pilot and 18 MLAs decamped to neighbouring Haryana - where the BJP is in power - sparking reports the saffron party was trying to woo the disgruntled leader and topple Ashok Gehlot's government.
The nearly month-long crisis forced the Congress' high command to intervene and remove Pilot as both deputy chief minister and state Congress chief.
Meanwhile, Pilot has announced his 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' - to start from Ajmer on May 11 and finish five days later in Jaipur - to raise issues of corruption.