Pilot opens new front against CM Gehlot

JAIPUR: Ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Sunday opened a new front against CM Ashok Gehlot, announcing a day-long fast to seek action from his government over alleged corruption during the BJP rule in the state.

The development again brings into open the power tussle in the Congress between the Pilot and the Gehlot factions in the state, putting pressure on the central leadership to resolve it before the year-end polls.

“No action was taken (by the Gehlot government) on corruption by the previous Vasundhara Raje government. While in opposition, we had promised that an inquiry would be conducted in the mines scam of Rs 45,000 crore,” Pilot said.

Ahead of polls, Pilot launches covert war on Gehlot

Ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Sunday opened a new front against CM Ashok Gehlot, announcing a day-long fast to seek action from his government over alleged corruption during the BJP rule.

The development again brings into open the power tussle between the Pilot and the Gehlot factions, putting pressure on the central leadership before the year-end polls.

“No action was taken (by the Gehlot government) on corruption by the previous Vasundhara Raje government. While in opposition, we had promised that an inquiry would be conducted in the mines scam of Rs 45,000 crore,” Pilot said at a press conference, announcing a hunger strike on Tuesday.

“With six-seven months left for the elections, the opponents can spread an illusion that there is some collusion. Therefore, action will have to be taken soon so that the Congress workers feel that there is no difference between our words and actions,” he said.

Pilot said he will observe a day-long fast at Shaheed Smarak on April 11, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, who belonged to the Saini community, the same community which Gehlot represents. Gehlot and Pilot have been at loggerheads ever since the Congress formed the government in December 2018 over the post of chief minister.

In July 2020, Pilot and a section of party MLAs rebelled openly, demanding a leadership change. It led to a one-month-long crisis that ended after assurance by the party high command to look into the issues raised by Pilot. The former deputy chief minister said Sonia Gandhi had given him the responsibility of the party in the state and he, along with other leaders, had opposed the wrong policies of the then BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje. He said the Congress as a responsible opposition had raised the issue of corruption because of which the BJP was voted out of power.

Pilot also showed videos of Gehlot in the assembly and outside in which he had levelled corruption allegations against the BJP government.

“When we were in opposition, at that time we had said that we will investigate corruption in the BJP government. I wrote a letter to CM Ashok Gehlot on 28 March 2022 and on 2 November 2022, but did not get any answer,” Pilot said.

“Ashok Gehlot and I had made allegations together, how will we know until there is a fair investigation. If it comes out in the investigation that no one was guilty, then we will accept that Gehlot ji and I were liars. But until a case is registered, how will people believe that the allegations made by us are true or false,” Pilot said.

Minister backs Pilot

Pilot found support from Cabinet minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, who was the Jaipur Congress president when Pilot was the PCC chief and used to be at the forefront with him in raising the corruption issue. But during Pilot’s revolt in 2020, he switched to the Gehlot camp. “Sachin Pilot is an asset for the party and Rahul Gandhi has said this... I would also speak to the chief minister and say that we should take action,” Khachariyawas said.

Another Congress leader said Pilot’s announcement was also a “kind of revolt” against Gehlot. “At a time when the Congress government is leaving no stone unturned to retain power in the upcoming elections, Pilot’s announcement will definitely send a wrong message among the masses. This should be avoided,” the Congress leader said.