Pilot opposes induction of ex-BSP MLAs in Rajasthan council of ministers

Until Sunday evening, even as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot gathered legislators supporting him for a meeting, there seemed little immediate threat to the longevity of the 19-month old Congress government in Rajasthan.

However, the latest round of the power struggle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, 69, and his deputy Sachin Pilot, 42, yet again foregrounded the rudderless state of the Congress party.

Sources in Pilot camp said their leader could even split the party. According to them, Pilot has insisted that Gehlot should not induct two of the 6 former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislators in the state council of ministers. The 6 BSP MLAs recently joined the Congress.

Pilot also does not want Gehlot to make one of the ‘independents’, a minister. Pilot has argued that these MLAs had defeated Congress MLAs, and making them ministers would demoralise the party.

Pilot’s camp fears that Gehlot will not only consolidate his position after inducting them in the cabinet, but constrict Pilot’s influence in the party, even engineer to strip him off the post of the party’s state unit chief.

Pilot, sources said, was unwilling to agree to a compromise. In a reference to Gehlot, who comes from a family of magicians, Pilot’s wife Sara tweeted, “Even the biggest of magicians develop cold sweat when we head towards Delhi.”

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The Pilot versus Gehlot face-off comes amid renewed clamour that Rahul Gandhi return as the Congress president. It also comes within months of Jyotiraditya Scindia quitting the party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Rahul Gandhi had quit as the party chief in the aftermath of the 2019 Lok Sabha poll debacle complaining how the veterans in the party have continued to stick to their posts.

As the crisis deepened with Pilot deciding to boycott the meeting called by Gehlot, Scindia sought to leave none in any doubt that it was indeed a struggle between the veterans in the party and the younger lot.

“Sad to see my erstwhile colleague Sachin Pilot too, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot. Shows that talent and capability find little credence in the Congress,” Scindia tweeted.

In March, the Scindia camp had blamed veterans Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh for having forced him out of the party.

Then, as also now, younger leaders have complained of Rahul Gandhi not intervening to resolve the issue. Last month, Gehlot had ensured that KC Venugopal, who is general secretary (organisation) and close to Rahul, was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.

After the latest Gehlot-Pilot tussle became public, senior party leader Kapil Sibal tweeted, “Worried for our party. Will we wake up only after the horses have bolted from our stables?”

If Sibal is worried, and Gehlot camp hopeful, that Pilot might do a Scindia, the Rajasthan deputy CM has let it be known that he is unlikely to quit the Congress, and even if he were to, he will not join the BJP. According to sources, Pilot could form a regional outfit.

The Gehlot camp is confident that an overwhelming majority of party legislators, as also independents and those from smaller parties, support the CM.

Pilot landed in Delhi with his supporters on Saturday evening. He was upset that the Rajasthan Special Operations Group had sent him a letter to appear for questioning in an investigation into alleged attempts to destabilise his own government.

The investigation began during the Rajya Sabha election in June. Gehlot alleged the BJP was trying to destabilise his government. Pilot’s camp believes this was a red herring, and a ploy to defame its leader.

The investigation is based on tapped phone conversation of two BJP leaders, who were arrested. An FIR has referred to a phone transcript where the “CM versus deputy CM” fight is mentioned.

Gehlot tweeted on Sunday that the notices have been sent not just to the deputy CM, but also the CM, chief whip and some other ministers and MLAs. “The manner in which it has been misrepresented by sections of the media is not appropriate,” Gehlot said.

However, Gehlot is also the state home minister, which had Pilot feel insulted. On Saturday, Gehlot had said that none is above the law. “Who doesn’t want to be CM? We too may have 5-7 people who may be contenders for CM and may also have the capability and talent. But only one can be CM,” he had said.

Gehlot has accused the BJP of offering up to Rs 25 crore to Congress and independent legislators to engineer a repeat of Madhya Pradesh in Rajasthan.

The word from the BJP is that it is not keen to dislodge the government. Unlike MP, where the numbers between the two parties were close, the Congress in Rajasthan has a more comfortable majority. Neither would the current BJP leadership wish to see Vasundhara Raje return as CM.

Tensions between Gehlot and Pilot have been well known. Pilot has resented not being made the CM when he had worked hard as the party unit chief to revive the party from the depths it hit in the 2013 Assembly polls to its win in 2018.

Gehlot, the old ‘magician’, had more legislators supporting him. He would like to see Pilot stripped off the post of the state party unit chief.