Sachin Pilot says Congress leaders in Rajasthan will work together for party’s victory in Assembly polls

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot on December 14, 2018. Both Congress leaders had been clashing since the government formation in 2018. Pic/AFP

The Congress on Thursday said it can win the Rajasthan Assembly elections slated later this year, provided there is complete unity and also warned of strict action against those not maintaining discipline and speaking outside the party forum. Although the party refrained from commenting on any peace formula between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, the latter said the party's lawmakers and functionaries will work together to ensure its victory in the polls.

After the meeting convened by the party leadership here to discuss the poll preparedness, Pilot said, "There was a meaningful discussion on how to buck trend of voting out incumbent government in Rajasthan. We discussed all issues with an open mind and all expressed confidence that we can repeat the government in Rajasthan."

Poll fight on corruption

Pilot also said that he raised the issues of corruption of the previous BJP government in the state paper leaks and Rajasthan Public Service Commission reform. He expressed satisfaction that the party leadership has taken cognisance of the issues raised by him as well as those relating to the youth, and has given appropriate directions. The party will make corruption an election issue in Rajasthan, he added. The Rajasthan government is serious about acting against corruption that happened during the previous BJP rule, he told reporters. All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal announced that all ministers, MLAs and leaders will go house to house to take the various schemes of the state government to the people, and the party's campaign would start from Friday.

The power tussle

A power tussle between Gehlot and Pilot started in 2018, when the Congress formed government in the state. In 2020, Pilot led a revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party's state unit president and deputy CM. Pilot had last month defied a warning from the party and went ahead with a day-long fast targeting Gehlot over his "inaction" on alleged corruption during the previous Raje government.

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