Rajasthan govt survived rebellion in 2020 because of Sonia and Rahul: Minister

Sonia Gandhi. File Pic

The Congress government in Rajasthan survived a rebellion in 2020 because 102 MLAs reposed faith in the "strong leadership" of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, so no one else should wrongly claim credit for it, state minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said on Tuesday.

His remarks came amid a fresh slugfest between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot over the crisis in 2020, when Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs had revolted against Gehlot's leadership.

Responding to a question on the matter, Khachariyawas told reporters here, "No one should live under the illusion that the Congress government was saved because of him. The government was saved because 102 MLAs had faith in the Congress high command and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi."

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The minister said that when the crisis erupted he played on the front foot and 102 MLAs also expressed their trust and faith in the "strong leadership" of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

"This is the reason the government survived in Rajasthan. The government could not have survived without Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi...and their messengers K C Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala and Ajay Maken," he said.

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The month-long crisis ended after the intervention of the party high command. Pilot was then removed as the deputy chief minister and state Congress president.

Chief Minister Gehlot on Sunday said that his government had survived the 2020 political crisis because two BJP leaders -- former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and former assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal -- did not support a conspiracy to topple an elected government through money power.

Addressing a gathering in Dholpur, he also took potshots at the rebel Congress MLAs saying they should return the money they had taken from the BJP so that they can carry out their duty without any pressure.

Pilot hit back at Gehlot on Tuesday, saying his speech in Dholpur reflects that his leader is Vasundhara Raje and not Sonia Gandhi.

Pilot also categorically denied Gehlot's charges that the MLAs who rebelled against him in 2020 had taken money from the BJP and they should return the money to Amit Shah.

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