Pilot to Jolt Cong on Dad’s Death Anniversary? Speculation Rife Before Rajasthan Elections

As Congress struggles to chose between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar for Karnataka CM post, the storm in Rajasthan awaits party’s crisis management. Some local reports stated that the ongoing tussle between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot may take a big turn in June.

According to a report in Hindustan, there is a speculation that Pilot may give a “big blow” to the Congress on the death anniversary of his father, Rajesh Pilot.

Why is Sachin Pilot Protesting?

Pilot and Gehlot have been at loggerheads over the post of chief minister ever since the party formed the government in the state in 2018.

While Pilot has been on a protest targeting Gehlot on “inaction” over alleged corruption when the BJP was previously in power, the chief minister has accused the MLAs involved in the 2020 revolt of taking money from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs had then sought a leadership change in Rajasthan. He was sacked as the party’s state unit president and the deputy chief minister.

Pilot’s Latest Demand

Sachin Pilot has threatened to launch a massive movement in Rajasthan if action on his demands is not taken by the month-end.

Pilot has demanded disbanding of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and its reconstitution, a compensation for those affected by government job exam paper leak cases, and a high-level probe into charges of graft he has levelled against the previous BJP government.

Last week, the dissident Congress leader began a 125-km foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur.

The five-day yatra was to mount further pressure on the party leadership as it hopes to retain the state in the elections at the end of the year.

“I am taking out this yatra to raise my voice, to hear your voice, and to become the voice of the people,” Pilot, who was sacked as the state Congress chief in 2020 when he led a revolt against the CM, said at the start of the “padyatra”.

“If action is not taken by this month-end on these three demands, an agitation will be launched across the state,” the former deputy chief minister told the rally. “I will serve people till my last breath, nothing scares me.”

Pilot reminded that the party had raised the issue of corruption during the last election in Rajasthan. “We exposed the corruption during the (Vasundhara) Raje government. We demanded a CBI inquiry into the mines scam,” he said.

“Our colleagues brought the Congress to power by shedding blood and sweat, and assured people that we will take action on coming to power,” he said at the public meeting.

He questioned Gehlot’s reported claim that “no politician or official” was involved in paper leak cases, asking why no bulldozer was sent to the house of RPSC member Babulal Katara who was arrested in the case.

Pilot repeated that he had been writing to Gehlot for the past year and a half for action over corruption, but there has been no action.

Gehlot’s Opinion on Sachin Pilot

At an event in Jaipur, Gehlot indirectly referred to dissidence in the party. “In a democracy, those who take everyone along are successful and those who create factions can never become successful,” the chief minister said.

Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra was dismissive of the Pilot’s yatra. “This is his personal yatra. This is not a Congress organisation yatra,” he told reporters who sought his response.