The infighting in Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government has been going on since the beginning of the assembly term and it once again came to the surface, Ashok Gehlot used very sharp language against former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot. During an interview with news channel NDTV, Ashok Gehlot called Pilot a “gaddar” (traitor) and said the high command cannot make someone chief minister who betrayed the party.
“A gaddar (traitor) cannot be the chief minister…the Congress high command cannot make Sachin Pilot the chief minister…a man who does not have 10 MLAs. Who rebelled? He betrayed the party, (he) is a traitor,” Gehlot said.
This is Ashok Gehlot’s sharpest criticism against Sachin Pilot since he rebelled against the party in 2020. The infighting between two senior leaders of the Congress party has led to at least two political crises for the state in 4 years.
Gehlot’s comments also came as Gujjar Aarakshan Sangh Samiti leader in Rajasthan, Vijay Singh Bainsla, claimed to oppose Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ if his demands were not met, one of which included Sachin Pilot Including becoming the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Gehlot’s tough stance was also visible in September, when the party wanted to make him the president of the party. Congress But after senior party leaders went to the state, Gehlot loyalists rebelled and refused to talk to representatives of the high command.
“I am telling you. They (Rajasthan Congress MLAs) were angry because the news was spread that Sachin Pilot would be made the chief minister. He also behaved like this. People thought he was going to become the chief minister.. The pilot made several calls.” Legislators, and they said leave it to the high command, an observer will come to take your views. So, the legislators felt that today there can be a one-line resolution, tomorrow there will be swearing-in (of the pilot). Talking about the incident, Gehlot said, it was because of this rumor that they all gathered there.
He also mentioned that during his rebellion, Sachin Pilot Met senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers, “Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan were involved. They (including Pilot) held a meeting in Delhi,” Gehlot alleged, “some got Rs 5 crore, some Rs 10 crore “
“In fact, the money was raised from the BJP office in Delhi,” Gehlot claimed. He said Pradhan visited the Pilot camp at a time when Congress emissaries were not allowed to meet him.
Asked what is their issue if Pilot becomes the chief minister, Gehlot said, “How could they tolerate making Pilot the chief minister? Those who suffered for 34 days, we know how we survived for 34 days.” Stayed. We had to stage a sit-in at the Raj Bhavan. I was also present there. We worked hard to save the government.’
Gehlot said, “The whole game was theirs. Rs 10 crore was distributed by the BJP. I have proof.”