New Delhi (India), May 9, 2023: Sachin Pilot, the prominent leader of the National Congress Party (NCP), launched a scathing attack on Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, accusing him of aligning more with the BJP’s Vasundhara Raje than with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
The verbal assault comes just a day before the crucial Karnataka election, intensifying the rivalry between the two Congress leaders. Pilot asserted that he would not leave the party and risk damaging its prospects in the upcoming Rajasthan election. Instead, he announced a “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” to expose corruption, embarking on a journey from Ajmer to Jaipur.
Pilot’s response was triggered by Gehlot’s surprising remarks, where he claimed that Raje had aided in saving his government during Pilot’s rebellion in 2020. Pilot, addressing reporters, stated that Gehlot’s true leader seemed to be Vasundhara Raje, not Sonia Gandhi, highlighting the contradiction in Gehlot’s allegations against the BJP and his acknowledgment of Raje’s support.
The Chief Minister had alleged that Raje and two other BJP leaders provided assistance and money to legislators to topple Gehlot’s government.
Not holding back, Pilot accused Gehlot of insulting his own MLAs and causing harm to the party’s prospects in the upcoming election. He also expressed his understanding as to why the Vasundhara Raje government had not taken action against corruption, suggesting a secret understanding between Gehlot and the BJP. The pilot emphasized that his yatra aimed to combat corruption and was not directed against any specific individual.
The ongoing clash between Gehlot and Pilot has once again brought the Congress Party’s internal crisis into the spotlight during an election year. Speculation is rife that Pilot may be strategically pushing the party to take action and planning his exit before the polls.
The power struggle between the two leaders emerged after the Congress’s victory in Rajasthan in 2018, with Pilot initially agreeing to play a subordinate role. However, his revolt in 2020 created a rift, though it ultimately failed to gather significant support. The feud continues to challenge Congress as it navigates the complexities of internal dynamics and the impending elections.
