Tough Ties, Loose Ends: Will Sachin Pilot Return to Family? What Future Holds For Rajasthan Government

Breaking his silence on rumours of toppling party earlier on Wednesday, former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot asserted that he will not be joining the BJP.

New Delhi: The Rajasthan government is in muddy waters. While on one hand Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has mounted venomous attacks on Sachin Pilot, his grand-old party, the Congress left the doors ajar for the young leader’s ‘return to the family’.

Breaking his silence on rumours of toppling party earlier on Wednesday, former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot asserted that he will not be joining the BJP. “I have worked very hard to bring Congress back in govt in Rajasthan,” he told reporters earlier in the day.

However, Congress national spokesperson Randeep Surjewala was quick to hit back urging him to “come out of the security cover of BJP’s Haryana government, stop all conversations with them and come back to [Pilot’s] home in Jaipur.” The Congress government has already stripped the leader of his party, as well as, government posts.

Notably, Sachin Pilot and the MLAs supporting him have shifted to a resort in Haryana’s Manesar near Delhi from Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Deposed

Rajasthan Congress had approached Speaker CP Joshi seeking disqualification of Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs of his camp. Subsequently, notices were sent out to these rebel legislators. The MLAs have time till July 17 to issue a response as to why they must not be disqualified.

Meanwhile, the Congress dissolved its all-district and block committees in Rajasthan in a bid to revamp its state unit. AICC general secretary in-charge for the Rajasthan Congress Avinash Pande said that new committees will be formed soon.

War of Words

On Tuesday, Sachin Pilot posted a message on Twitter soon after being sacked where he said in Hindi, “Truth can be rattled, not defeated.” He also changed his Twitter bio and deleted all references from his position earlier.

However, earlier this afternoon, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot spewed venom on Pilot and said, “Speaking good English, giving good bytes and being handsome isn’t everything. What is inside your heart for the country, your ideology, policies, and commitment, everything is considered.”

Gehlot accused Sachin Pilot of involvement in horse-trading with the BJP despite the latter confirming that he is not joining BJP.

A Final Attempt

Congress top brass has invited Sachin Pilot to reconsider his decision and join the party again.

According to several reports, Rahul Gandhi stepped in to make a final attempt at reconnecting with the rebel Rajasthan MLA by telling fellow Congress workers know to let Pilot know that the ‘door is always open for him’ to return to his party.

The Congress leadership has reportedly also asked Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot to maintain composure and refrain from making public statements.

Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey also said that the party’s doors have not been shut for Sachin Pilot. “May he realise his mistake. I pray that he comes out of the elusive trap of the BJP,” he said.

While the Congress party has called it a “failed attempt” of the BJP to topple the Rajasthan government, talks have been growing further on the grand-old party’s incompetence across states.