In a late-night impromptu press briefing, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, flanked by Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, announced that they would work together for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly election and win it.
Two things stood out in the photo-op. First, Venugopal’s statement that “the final decision on details has been left to the Congress president”. This revealed no solution was placed and agreed upon in the four-hour meeting between party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi and Gehlot, with Pilot joining in later.
Second, Pilot and Gehlot were stiff in their demeanour and none looked at the other, indicating that the animosity between them continues to fester.
Sources told News18 that Gehlot joined the meeting first and spoke for over two hours in the presence of Kharge and Gandhi. He reportedly mentioned instances when Pilot’s language and tone ended up benefiting the BJP.
When Pilot walked in, he was given a chance to put his grievances on the table, sources said. He is said to have reminded Rahul Gandhi and Kharge of the assurances he was given of eventually being made the CM. He added that he has always followed the party line and campaigned whenever asked, but has never made any public comment against Gehlot despite being a victim of the latter’s insults, party insiders told News18.
Pilot is also said to have questioned why Gehlot had not yet ordered investigation into the exam scam during BJP leader Vasundhara Raje Scindia’s tenure, especially if the Congress planned to make corruption its electoral plank in Rajasthan, just as it did successfully in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.
Rahul Gandhi reportedly made it clear to both the warring leaders that they needed to work together and not make any public comments against each other.
But no nitty-gritties were finalised in the meeting, nor was any discussion held on whether there would be a change in Rajasthan Congress president, or if Pilot would the party in Assembly elections. Those questioned were put off for later.
The bitter rivalry between Pilot and Gehlot has reached intense levels. Pilot’s ambitions are clear that he wants to be the CM in case the Congress comes back to power, a position which Gehlot is not ready to cede.
Rajasthan is an important state for the Congress, being one of the few where it is in direct fight with the BJP like in Karnataka or Madhya Pradesh. With Aam Aadmi Party close on the heels and talks of an opposition bloc against BJP for 2024 gaining ground, the grand old party wants to project itself as the only national alternative to the BJP.
Winning Rajasthan is a must for that, but will its ambitions be blown away by the desert storm?
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