A new chapter has emerged in the ongoing rivalry between two stalwarts of Rajasthan’s Congress, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. A month after holding a hunger strike against his Government’s inaction against corruption, the former deputy Chief Minister announced the ‘Jan Sangharsh Yatra’ on May 9.
It is going to be a five-day long event commencing on May 11. The yatra will be 125 km long, starting from Ajmer and will end in Jaipur.
Pilot’s announcement came a day after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said during his speech at Dholpur, “Vasundhara Raje and Kailash Meghwal helped me to save my Government as they did not support toppling by the BJP Government”.
However, Raje has refuted the current CM’s claims, “Gehlot is fearing to face the assembly polls slated later in the year, so he is creating these ‘lies’ and fabricated stories as he can see his historic defeat in the polls. His lies are a conspiracy to shake my mass base. Gehlot has humiliated me a lot in my life”.
The former deputy Chief Minster has always been vocal against the policies and actions taken by the Gehlot’s Government, “I have been writing letters for the last one and half years in relation to the corruption charges that took place under Vasundhara Raje’s regime, now I have understood why no action or enquiry has been done till now. I sat on a hunger strike on April 11 in Jaipur but now I have no expectations cause the evidence has come to the fore. And why no enquiry will be done that is also clear. We are public representatives and have to bow down in front of them”.
He further stated, “Gehlot’s speech also made it clear that his leader is not Sonia Gandhi, but Vasundhara Raje Scindia. On one hand, you say the BJP is trying to topple our government. On the other hand, you say that Vasundhara Raje saved you. This contradiction must be explained to us. What are you trying to say?”.
After taking a jibe at Raje and Gehlot, he announced his public yatra, “Therefore, I have decided to hold a five-day-long ‘Jan Sangarsh Pad Yatra’ from Ajmer to Jaipur starting May 11. This 125 km yatra is against corruption, for the benefit of people and for the protection of youths. This is my responsibility to go among the citizens and listen to them and raise their issues. Any further decision will be taken after this yatra”.
It is to be noted that the tussle between the two Congress leaders has been going on from past many years.
The seeds of disregard were sown in the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly elections. After the unsuccessful Assembly election of 2013, Congress decided to make Sachin Pilot the Rajasthan Congress State President. The problem arose with the distribution of seats, ministerial portfolios, and the Chief Minister’s selection.
Pilot made his contention for the CM post but was sidelined for more experienced Gehlot. But was still he was given the position of Deputy CM. But constant rivalry over state governance and public jibes led to the sacking of the deputy CM in July 2020.
The ouster resulted in the rebellious nature of Pilot, which resulted in the setting of his brand of politics by conducting campaigns all around Rajashtan, but without the party’s approval. This lone-wolf attitude got public criticism from time to time by Gehlot, and even the party’s old brass is not liking this indiscipline.
Even during the Congress Party presidential election, the State’s political affairs went limbo as Pilot thought it would be the right time to replace Gehlot. However, Gehlot supporters in Congress refused to let the former rebel take a seat, and Gehlot withdrew from the race for president of Congress.
In August 2022, during the Dalit student tragedy, the Pilot camp exploited the information against Gehlot, and the two engaged in verbal combat. Gehlot, according to him, was delaying Police action. He charged Gehlot for holding up police actions.
Time & again, the party had expressed their disconcern towards the flying-solo attitude of the Pilot and said his actions were equal to anti-party activity.
In March 2023, during the protest by the widows of Pulwama martyrs against the Gehlot Government for not fulfilling promises, Pilot came to support the protestors and used this in his favour by writing a letter to the Rajasthan CM to give the widows a hearing.
However, Gehlot disapproved of any misunderstandings between him and Pilot. Though it is pretty amusing that Gehlot once called Pilot a ‘traitor’. That’s why Sachin Pilot on April 9 announced a day-long fast on April 11 2023.
According to Pilot, the Ashok Gehlot-led Government failed to investigate cases of alleged corruption during the BJP rule in Rajasthan. He conducted this day-long fast to pressure Gehlot to take appropriate action.
On May 9, 2023, he announced ‘Jan Sangharsh Yatra’. This upcoming State election will be exciting as this rivalry has become a comic soap opera. We need to see how Congress will try to resolve this rivalry. This animosity between the two power centres of the Rajasthan Congress will be crucial in winning or losing the election because political pageantry plays a significant role in determining primary voter turnout.
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