He was warned that his hunger strike would be against party’s interests
Congress leader Sachin Pilot during a hunger strike at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI
Disregarding a warning issued to him by the Congress, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot sat on a daylong fast at the Shaheed Smarak on Tuesday to demand action in cases of alleged corruption related to the previous BJP government in the state. With this, Pilot has opened a front against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Pilot was the Rajasthan Congress chief when the party came to power in the state.
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All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa Monday night said that any such protest against the state government would amount to anti-party activity and go against the party’s interest. No incumbent MLA of the ruling party joined him, as Pilot had asked them not to come. But several other leaders and his supporters were present.
As he ended his fast at 4 pm, Pilot said, “We had assured people that effective action will be taken against corruption by the former BJP government in the state. I wanted the Congress government to take action against the corruption by the former BJP government. This movement against corruption will continue.”
Pilot’s agitation amid a factional feud in the Congress is being seen as an attempt to put pressure on the party high command to resolve the leadership issue in the state ahead of the Assembly polls due by the year-end. The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot began during the formation of the government in December 2018 over the chief minister’s post.
In July 2020, Pilot and 18 MLAs rebelled openly against Gehlot, demanding a change of leadership in the state. It led to a month-long political crisis that ended after the party high command’s assurance to look into the issues raised by Pilot. Thereafter, Gehlot used terms such as “gaddar” (traitor), “nakara” (failure) and “nikamma” (worthless) for Pilot and accused him of being involved with BJP leaders in a conspiracy to topple the Congress government in the state.
2018
Year since Pilot, Gehlot have been sparring with each other
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