Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, June 6: With the elections to the Rajasthan state Assembly round the corner, the Congress high command is puzzled over its senior leader Sachin Pilot’s next move even as the party is trying to create a façade of unity on the Karnataka pattern.
The party’s resounding victory in Karnataka after it could project coming together of the two rival factions led by the former chief minister Siddaramaiah and the state Congress president DK Shivakumar, encouraged the party leadership to follow the pattern in the poll-bound Rajasthan where the chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot are at loggerheads.
After separate meetings with Gehlot and Pilot in Delhi last week, the party had claimed that the differences between the two had been ironed out and both have agreed to honour the “unity formula” proposed by the leadership and would fight the coming elections together. But Pilot since has not reacted to the high command’s claim and has shown no sign to suggest that he has dropped his demands for the sake of party unity.
Pilot has repeatedly challenged and warned his party in recent weeks, embarrassing the leadership as it struggles to project unity in Rajasthan. There is intense speculation that he may soon deliver a significant blow to the Congress by launching his own party in Rajasthan just before polls in the state.
Reports suggest Sachin Pilot, 45, could make an announcement on June 11 – the death anniversary of his father Rajesh Pilot, a Congress leader – though sources close to him say he is waiting for the Congress leadership to respond to his demands. The sources also denied that any big rally was being planned on June 11. They said, like every year, there will be a programme to commemorate the death anniversary in Dausa as it was Rajesh Pilot’s constituency.
Pilot has given his own government an ultimatum on acting on corruption allegations against the BJP’s Vasundhara Raje government which ruled the state before the Gehlot government. The Congress leader has alleged that Gehlot has not taken any action against Vasundhara Raje because of a pact with the BJP leader, a charge that the BJP has strongly refuted.
Amid conjectures over his next move, sources close to him say he is waiting for a definitive response from the party leadership. They assert that his main focus is to combat corruption and address pressing concerns of the youth, including the exam paper leaks. “He (Pilot) is waiting for a response from the party leadership, the ball is in their court,” sources close to him said.
Congress sources say the breach between the two leaders may be unsurmountable and the relationship may have reached a point of no return. The feud began in 2018, when the Congress won the Rajasthan election, and had to pick between two claimants to the top post. The party chose Ashok Gehlot, and Sachin Pilot settled for the role of his deputy. Two years later, however, Pilot revolted against his boss, demanding a “fair share” in power.
The rebellion fizzled out as 100-plus MLAs chose to stay with Gehlot. At no point has Pilot been able to produce more than 20 MLAs in his support, making it tougher for the party to pick a side. Pilot ended his revolt after the Gandhis assured him a solution. Gehlot, with his frequent attacks on his former Deputy, has made it clear that he will not stand back. The Chief Minister has referred to his younger rival as a gaddar (traitor), nikamma (worthless) and “coronavirus.”
After the recent “unity show”, the Chief Minister even commented that the Congress high command is “strong” and would never offer any position to pacify a leader. Leaders close to Pilot slammed the comment and said he has taken a “principled position” and it was not about posts.
Murari Lal Meena, a minister in Gehlot cabinet close to Pilot, however, refuted speculation of Pilot launching a separate party on June 11. “I have no idea where the speculation of the new party started. I do not see any substance in such speculations. I work following the ideology of the party,” said Meena.
