News Analysis India

Tag: ashok gehlot

  • Congress rejects reports of Sachin Pilot floating new party in lead up to Rajasthan polls

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Congress general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of dissident leader Sachin Pilot floating a new party.

    Randhawa, who reached Jaipur in the evening, also said that the party will assign responsibilities to Rajasthan leaders according to their stature.

    “I am hearing this from you, I think there is no such thing. He (Pilot) did not have this in his mind before and does not have it now,” he told reporters when asked about speculations of the formation of a new party by Pilot.

    Randhawa also said it is the media which is raising the issue. He reiterated that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had recently talked to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Delhi in which both the Rajasthan leaders “agreed to work unitedly.”

    “Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi listened to both of them carefully and both were told that they are the assets of the Congress…Both said that they will work together,” he said.

    Randhawa said that 90 per cent of the matter was resolved and the rest was also not an issue.

    When asked about the “formula” to broker peace between Gehlot and Pilot, Randhawa said he will not share it with the media.  However, he said that both Gehlot and Pilot know about the formula.

    On the party’s plan to give responsibility to Pilot, Randhawa said, “We will definitely do it for everyone and will decide the responsibility of leaders according to their stature.”

    Gehlot and his former deputy Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in Rajasthan in 2018 and the party is seeking to broker peace between the two ahead of the assembly elections in the state, slated for later this year.

    There is intense speculation that Pilot may give a clear indication on his way forward on June 11 when he marks his father’s death anniversary in Dausa.

    JAIPUR: Congress general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of dissident leader Sachin Pilot floating a new party.

    Randhawa, who reached Jaipur in the evening, also said that the party will assign responsibilities to Rajasthan leaders according to their stature.

    “I am hearing this from you, I think there is no such thing. He (Pilot) did not have this in his mind before and does not have it now,” he told reporters when asked about speculations of the formation of a new party by Pilot.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Randhawa also said it is the media which is raising the issue. He reiterated that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had recently talked to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Delhi in which both the Rajasthan leaders “agreed to work unitedly.”

    “Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi listened to both of them carefully and both were told that they are the assets of the Congress…Both said that they will work together,” he said.

    Randhawa said that 90 per cent of the matter was resolved and the rest was also not an issue.

    When asked about the “formula” to broker peace between Gehlot and Pilot, Randhawa said he will not share it with the media.  However, he said that both Gehlot and Pilot know about the formula.

    On the party’s plan to give responsibility to Pilot, Randhawa said, “We will definitely do it for everyone and will decide the responsibility of leaders according to their stature.”

    Gehlot and his former deputy Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in Rajasthan in 2018 and the party is seeking to broker peace between the two ahead of the assembly elections in the state, slated for later this year.

    There is intense speculation that Pilot may give a clear indication on his way forward on June 11 when he marks his father’s death anniversary in Dausa.

  • Congress projects unity in Rajasthan, says Gehlot, Pilot will fight assembly poll together

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Amid a festering leadership tussle in the Congress’ Rajasthan unit, the party Monday said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot have agreed to fight the upcoming assembly elections unitedly and have left all issues to be resolved by the party high command.

    Top Congress leadership led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held marathon discussions with Gehlot and Pilot joined them later in the evening.

    The Congress’ in-charge of state affairs Sukhjinder Randhawa was also present at the meeting.

    The party sought to project that all was fine in its Rajasthan unit with sources claiming that the party has worked out a formula for both the state leaders to work together and fight the assembly elections unitedly.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting at Kharge’s 10, Rajaji Marg, residence, party general secretary K C Venugopal said both the leaders held lengthy discussions with Kharge and Gandhi about the upcoming Rajasthan election.

    “We have decided to fight the election unitedly. Both are in agreement that the Congress party has to work together and definitely we will win the election in Rajasthan,” he said, flanked by Gehlot and Pilot.

    “It is very clear that Rajasthan is going to be a strong state for the Congress party. We are going to win. Therefore, both Gehlot ji and Sachin ji have decided to go together. The Congress party will fight elections unitedly,” Venugopal said.

    “Both the leaders Ashok ji and Sachin ji agreed to the proposal on these things,” he also said.

    Asked what proposal he was talking out, Venugopal said, “Both have left it to the (party) high command. The high command will take the decision and both have agreed.”

    On what formula has been decided, he said, “We decided that both the leaders have agreed to go together and it will be a joint fight against the BJP. We will win the state.”

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh later tweeted, “The Congress party is well on its way to repeating its Karnataka success in Rajasthan as well.”

    Later in a tweet, Venugopal said, “Our team in Rajasthan will unitedly fight the 2023 elections and break the decades-long tradition of alternating governments by registering a thumping victory!”

    Pilot has been attacking the Gehlot government over the issue of inaction on alleged corruption during the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje and has been vocal against his own party’s chief minister. This was the first time after a long gap that the Rajasthan chief minister and his former deputy met face-to-face in the presence of top party leadership.

    Kharge and Gandhi are holding parleys with leaders of poll-bound states to evolve the party’s strategy for the assembly elections and corner the BJP.

    The party leadership is also working hard to resolve the infighting in the Rajasthan unit ahead of assembly polls and set at rest the differences between the two leaders.

    The Congress top brass held discussions with top party leaders from Madhya Pradesh in the morning, after which Gandhi said the party would win 150 seats in the state.

    The meeting comes close on the heels of Pilot’s “ultimatum” that if three demands he made from the state government were not met by the end of this month, he would launch a state-wide agitation.

    One of Pilot’s demands was initiating a high-level inquiry into the alleged scams during the Vasundhara Raje government.

    Speaking to reporters earlier, Gehlot said there is no such tradition in the party to offer posts to any leader in order to pacify him.

    “As far as I know, there is no such tradition in the Congress where any leader demands something and the party high command offers to give that position. We have not heard of such a formula ever,” he said when asked about reports of a formula being worked out to rope in Pilot.

    Rubbishing such reports, he said, “Never has such a thing happened in the Congress so far and neither will it happen in the future. The Congress party and the high command are very strong and no leader or worker has the courage to demand any position. It does not happen like that.”

    Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018.

    In 2020, Pilot led a failed revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party’s state unit president and deputy chief minister.

    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.

    NEW DELHI: Amid a festering leadership tussle in the Congress’ Rajasthan unit, the party Monday said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot have agreed to fight the upcoming assembly elections unitedly and have left all issues to be resolved by the party high command.

    Top Congress leadership led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held marathon discussions with Gehlot and Pilot joined them later in the evening.

    The Congress’ in-charge of state affairs Sukhjinder Randhawa was also present at the meeting.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The party sought to project that all was fine in its Rajasthan unit with sources claiming that the party has worked out a formula for both the state leaders to work together and fight the assembly elections unitedly.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting at Kharge’s 10, Rajaji Marg, residence, party general secretary K C Venugopal said both the leaders held lengthy discussions with Kharge and Gandhi about the upcoming Rajasthan election.

    “We have decided to fight the election unitedly. Both are in agreement that the Congress party has to work together and definitely we will win the election in Rajasthan,” he said, flanked by Gehlot and Pilot.

    “It is very clear that Rajasthan is going to be a strong state for the Congress party. We are going to win. Therefore, both Gehlot ji and Sachin ji have decided to go together. The Congress party will fight elections unitedly,” Venugopal said.

    “Both the leaders Ashok ji and Sachin ji agreed to the proposal on these things,” he also said.

    Asked what proposal he was talking out, Venugopal said, “Both have left it to the (party) high command. The high command will take the decision and both have agreed.”

    On what formula has been decided, he said, “We decided that both the leaders have agreed to go together and it will be a joint fight against the BJP. We will win the state.”

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh later tweeted, “The Congress party is well on its way to repeating its Karnataka success in Rajasthan as well.”

    Later in a tweet, Venugopal said, “Our team in Rajasthan will unitedly fight the 2023 elections and break the decades-long tradition of alternating governments by registering a thumping victory!”

    Pilot has been attacking the Gehlot government over the issue of inaction on alleged corruption during the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje and has been vocal against his own party’s chief minister. This was the first time after a long gap that the Rajasthan chief minister and his former deputy met face-to-face in the presence of top party leadership.

    Kharge and Gandhi are holding parleys with leaders of poll-bound states to evolve the party’s strategy for the assembly elections and corner the BJP.

    The party leadership is also working hard to resolve the infighting in the Rajasthan unit ahead of assembly polls and set at rest the differences between the two leaders.

    The Congress top brass held discussions with top party leaders from Madhya Pradesh in the morning, after which Gandhi said the party would win 150 seats in the state.

    The meeting comes close on the heels of Pilot’s “ultimatum” that if three demands he made from the state government were not met by the end of this month, he would launch a state-wide agitation.

    One of Pilot’s demands was initiating a high-level inquiry into the alleged scams during the Vasundhara Raje government.

    Speaking to reporters earlier, Gehlot said there is no such tradition in the party to offer posts to any leader in order to pacify him.

    “As far as I know, there is no such tradition in the Congress where any leader demands something and the party high command offers to give that position. We have not heard of such a formula ever,” he said when asked about reports of a formula being worked out to rope in Pilot.

    Rubbishing such reports, he said, “Never has such a thing happened in the Congress so far and neither will it happen in the future. The Congress party and the high command are very strong and no leader or worker has the courage to demand any position. It does not happen like that.”

    Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018.

    In 2020, Pilot led a failed revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party’s state unit president and deputy chief minister.

    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.

  • Congress leaders from Madhya Pradesh meet Kharge over poll preparedness

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI Top Congress leaders from Madhya Pradesh on Monday met party chief Mallikarjun Kharge at the AICC headquarters here over the preparedness for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

    Sources said the meeting was attended by Rahul Gandhi, former chief minister Kamal Nath, among others.

    Kharge will also hold deliberations with party leaders from Rajasthan where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot will be in attendance.

    Gehlot has already reached the national capital for the meet. These interactions will be attended by state unit chiefs as well as party in-charges of both the poll-bound states.

    #WATCH | When asked about various “formulae” being speculated around Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, CM Gehlot says, “Never in my life have I seen a tradition in Congress that a leader demands something or high command asks him what post he wants…High Command &… pic.twitter.com/f47AtCYVx7
    — ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2023
    These are also part of the Congress’ efforts to activate party cadres and prepare the ground for the assembly polls slated later this year.

    NEW DELHI Top Congress leaders from Madhya Pradesh on Monday met party chief Mallikarjun Kharge at the AICC headquarters here over the preparedness for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

    Sources said the meeting was attended by Rahul Gandhi, former chief minister Kamal Nath, among others.

    Kharge will also hold deliberations with party leaders from Rajasthan where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot will be in attendance.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Gehlot has already reached the national capital for the meet. These interactions will be attended by state unit chiefs as well as party in-charges of both the poll-bound states.

    #WATCH | When asked about various “formulae” being speculated around Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, CM Gehlot says, “Never in my life have I seen a tradition in Congress that a leader demands something or high command asks him what post he wants…High Command &… pic.twitter.com/f47AtCYVx7
    — ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2023
    These are also part of the Congress’ efforts to activate party cadres and prepare the ground for the assembly polls slated later this year.

  • Gehlot, Pilot supporters come to blows, poster war erupts

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:   The Congress infighting in Rajasthan has taken an ugly turn as supporters of CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot thrashed each other on Thursday at a party gathering in Ajmer. The clash occurred before Amrita Dhawan, the national secretary of Congress and co-in-charge of Rajasthan was to hold a programme in the city to gather feedback from the party workers.

    Sources said Vijay Jain, the city Congress chief and a member of the Pilot faction, made all the arrangements for Dhawan’s programme. The situation worsened when Dharmendra Rathore, the RTDC president closely associated with Gehlot, arrived with his supporters, leading to a scuffle between the two groups.

    As the two groups scuffled, Amrita Dhawan decided to postpone the party programme. Even before the meeting here in Ajmer, a dispute arose between pro-Pilot workers and the Gehlot faction. The rival sides created a ruckus in front of the MLAs, with several party workers involved in abusive scuffles and fisticuffs forcing the police to intervene.

    Bhim Singh, a village Congress worker, was reportedly beaten up. Though some workers tried to pacify the rival factions, tempers remained high and sloganeering continued unabated. In addition to the altercation, both factions of the state Congress have been engaging in an endless war of words. Sanyam Lodha, an independent MLA and advisor to the Chief Minister, targeted Sachin Pilot’s Jan Sangharsh Yatra. Criticising him for raising the issues of paper leaks and corruption during the BJP rule in an election year, Lodha accused Pilot of seeking martyrdom and claimed that “his movement would have no political impact.”

    Lodha said Pilot and his team never supported him when he raised the same issues regarding BJP’s alleged scams during the past five years. Lodha dismissed the people associated with Pilot as “sponsored groups” and stated that “nobody takes him seriously any longer.”

    Meanwhile, a poster in Jodhpur, CM Gehlot’s home district, featuring Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Sachin Pilot has sparked a furore. These posters suggest a nexus between Pilot and Shekhawat. “The public demands an answer from Pilot regarding the Sanjeevani scam” is the direct message depicted in the poster. Congress’ district spokesperson Bhakar Ram Vishnoi, who put up the posters, criticised Pilot for remaining silent on the scam involving crores of rupees of public funds.

    The rift between Gehlot and Pilot groups is deepening with each passing day as elections in Rajasthan are now barely six months away. Pilot is in no mood to relent and has warned the Gehlot government that it must act by May 30.  He has announced publicly that if his demands are not accepted, he will launch a bigger movement in the state especially since his supporters are also seething in anger.

    JAIPUR:   The Congress infighting in Rajasthan has taken an ugly turn as supporters of CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot thrashed each other on Thursday at a party gathering in Ajmer. The clash occurred before Amrita Dhawan, the national secretary of Congress and co-in-charge of Rajasthan was to hold a programme in the city to gather feedback from the party workers.

    Sources said Vijay Jain, the city Congress chief and a member of the Pilot faction, made all the arrangements for Dhawan’s programme. The situation worsened when Dharmendra Rathore, the RTDC president closely associated with Gehlot, arrived with his supporters, leading to a scuffle between the two groups.

    As the two groups scuffled, Amrita Dhawan decided to postpone the party programme. Even before the meeting here in Ajmer, a dispute arose between pro-Pilot workers and the Gehlot faction. The rival sides created a ruckus in front of the MLAs, with several party workers involved in abusive scuffles and fisticuffs forcing the police to intervene.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Bhim Singh, a village Congress worker, was reportedly beaten up. Though some workers tried to pacify the rival factions, tempers remained high and sloganeering continued unabated. In addition to the altercation, both factions of the state Congress have been engaging in an endless war of words. Sanyam Lodha, an independent MLA and advisor to the Chief Minister, targeted Sachin Pilot’s Jan Sangharsh Yatra. Criticising him for raising the issues of paper leaks and corruption during the BJP rule in an election year, Lodha accused Pilot of seeking martyrdom and claimed that “his movement would have no political impact.”

    Lodha said Pilot and his team never supported him when he raised the same issues regarding BJP’s alleged scams during the past five years. Lodha dismissed the people associated with Pilot as “sponsored groups” and stated that “nobody takes him seriously any longer.”

    Meanwhile, a poster in Jodhpur, CM Gehlot’s home district, featuring Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Sachin Pilot has sparked a furore. These posters suggest a nexus between Pilot and Shekhawat. “The public demands an answer from Pilot regarding the Sanjeevani scam” is the direct message depicted in the poster. Congress’ district spokesperson Bhakar Ram Vishnoi, who put up the posters, criticised Pilot for remaining silent on the scam involving crores of rupees of public funds.

    The rift between Gehlot and Pilot groups is deepening with each passing day as elections in Rajasthan are now barely six months away. Pilot is in no mood to relent and has warned the Gehlot government that it must act by May 30.  He has announced publicly that if his demands are not accepted, he will launch a bigger movement in the state especially since his supporters are also seething in anger.

  • Sachin Pilot compares Rajasthan with Karnataka, asks Gehlot govt to fulfil promise on ‘corruption’

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Monday cited his party’s victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls to push for action by the Ashok Gehlot government over alleged corruption during the previous BJP rule in Rajasthan.

    As the assembly polls approach in Rajasthan, the former deputy chief minister mounted pressure on Chief Minister Gehlot and the party’s top leadership with a five-day yatra which ended Monday with a big rally in Jaipur.

    In an effort to corner Gehlot, Pilot has been demanding action over accusations of corruption made by the Congress ahead of the Rajasthan polls in 2018.

    In an interview with PTI before the Jaipur rally, he compared the situation now in Karnataka, where the Congress has swept the assembly polls, with that in Rajasthan in 2018.

    “We levelled allegations of corruption against the BJP government in Karnataka. The Congress has got a mandate there and if no action against corruption by the (BJP’s) Bommai government is taken, will people listen to us after five years?” he said.

    “This is the situation here in Rajasthan. So I want action taken on this,” he added.

    Pilot’s argument is that the Congress levelled corruption charges against the BJP government of Vasundhara Raje ahead of the 2018 elections, and people expected it to act on the issue once it came to power.

    He asked how he could be wrong in talking about corruption that took place during the term of the previous BJP government in the state.

    Pilot, who is locked in a leadership tussle with Gehlot in the state, said he will continue to raise the issue in the future as well.

    At the rally later, he was more categorical.

    He threatened to launch a major agitation if his demands are not met by the month-end.

    About 15 Congress MLAs shared the dais with him in the show of strength.

    In 2018 the party’s top leadership faced in Rajasthan a dilemma of the kind it encounters in Karnataka where it is forced to pick between two CM aspirants — D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.

    The party had then gone with Gehlot, disappointing Pilot who claimed to have led the Congress to victory as the president of the state unit.

    Pilot said when Gehlot was given the opportunity by the party to run the state government for the first time in 1998 he was just 47 or 48 years old, and veteran Congress leaders of that time followed the party discipline.

    Pilot (45) was possibly alluding to the argument that he is too young to become the chief minister.

    He also criticised Gehlot loyalist and minister Shanti Dhariwal’s recent remark that the CM has shown several big leaders their place.

    Reacting to Gehlot’s recent remark that he never boasted about how he won 156 seats for the Congress in 1998, Pilot said no one can boast or take credit for something like this.

    It is the party that contests elections and votes are given on policies and principles, he said.

    When asked about the state government schemes, Pilot said, “A good budget comes, good announcements are made, good policy is made. But why don’t we get the votes? It is the reality and the bitter truth.”

    He said he has raised several issues on party platforms to ensure this doesn’t happen in the coming Rajasthan elections.

    Pilot has been asking the party to resolve “issues” he had raised in 2020 when he and 18 other Congress MLAs revolted against Gehlot’s leadership.

    When asked about reports that he has decided to quit the Congress if issues concerning him are not addressed, Pilot called it speculation created by the media.

    He said the Congress party got huge support in the 2018 elections on the promise that it will take action on “corruption” by the then Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government.

    But no action was taken, he said.

    So he wrote letters to the CM for one and a half years, and then held a one-day fast in Jaipur last month.

    On party leaders calling his foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur a “personal” yatra, the leader said the issues raised by him got huge support from the public.

    “People are coming together on these issues despite the scorching heat, they are walking with me. The support one can see on the road is the support for the issues which I am raising,” he said.

    At the rally, he gave the Gehlot government an ultimatum to agree to three demands, including a high-level probe into “corruption” by the BJP government.

    The dissident leader also demanded the reconstitution of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) over exam paper leaks, and compensation for aspirants who suffered due to this.

    JAIPUR: Dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Monday cited his party’s victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls to push for action by the Ashok Gehlot government over alleged corruption during the previous BJP rule in Rajasthan.

    As the assembly polls approach in Rajasthan, the former deputy chief minister mounted pressure on Chief Minister Gehlot and the party’s top leadership with a five-day yatra which ended Monday with a big rally in Jaipur.

    In an effort to corner Gehlot, Pilot has been demanding action over accusations of corruption made by the Congress ahead of the Rajasthan polls in 2018.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In an interview with PTI before the Jaipur rally, he compared the situation now in Karnataka, where the Congress has swept the assembly polls, with that in Rajasthan in 2018.

    “We levelled allegations of corruption against the BJP government in Karnataka. The Congress has got a mandate there and if no action against corruption by the (BJP’s) Bommai government is taken, will people listen to us after five years?” he said.

    “This is the situation here in Rajasthan. So I want action taken on this,” he added.

    Pilot’s argument is that the Congress levelled corruption charges against the BJP government of Vasundhara Raje ahead of the 2018 elections, and people expected it to act on the issue once it came to power.

    He asked how he could be wrong in talking about corruption that took place during the term of the previous BJP government in the state.

    Pilot, who is locked in a leadership tussle with Gehlot in the state, said he will continue to raise the issue in the future as well.

    At the rally later, he was more categorical.

    He threatened to launch a major agitation if his demands are not met by the month-end.

    About 15 Congress MLAs shared the dais with him in the show of strength.

    In 2018 the party’s top leadership faced in Rajasthan a dilemma of the kind it encounters in Karnataka where it is forced to pick between two CM aspirants — D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.

    The party had then gone with Gehlot, disappointing Pilot who claimed to have led the Congress to victory as the president of the state unit.

    Pilot said when Gehlot was given the opportunity by the party to run the state government for the first time in 1998 he was just 47 or 48 years old, and veteran Congress leaders of that time followed the party discipline.

    Pilot (45) was possibly alluding to the argument that he is too young to become the chief minister.

    He also criticised Gehlot loyalist and minister Shanti Dhariwal’s recent remark that the CM has shown several big leaders their place.

    Reacting to Gehlot’s recent remark that he never boasted about how he won 156 seats for the Congress in 1998, Pilot said no one can boast or take credit for something like this.

    It is the party that contests elections and votes are given on policies and principles, he said.

    When asked about the state government schemes, Pilot said, “A good budget comes, good announcements are made, good policy is made. But why don’t we get the votes? It is the reality and the bitter truth.”

    He said he has raised several issues on party platforms to ensure this doesn’t happen in the coming Rajasthan elections.

    Pilot has been asking the party to resolve “issues” he had raised in 2020 when he and 18 other Congress MLAs revolted against Gehlot’s leadership.

    When asked about reports that he has decided to quit the Congress if issues concerning him are not addressed, Pilot called it speculation created by the media.

    He said the Congress party got huge support in the 2018 elections on the promise that it will take action on “corruption” by the then Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government.

    But no action was taken, he said.

    So he wrote letters to the CM for one and a half years, and then held a one-day fast in Jaipur last month.

    On party leaders calling his foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur a “personal” yatra, the leader said the issues raised by him got huge support from the public.

    “People are coming together on these issues despite the scorching heat, they are walking with me. The support one can see on the road is the support for the issues which I am raising,” he said.

    At the rally, he gave the Gehlot government an ultimatum to agree to three demands, including a high-level probe into “corruption” by the BJP government.

    The dissident leader also demanded the reconstitution of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) over exam paper leaks, and compensation for aspirants who suffered due to this.

  • Public accepted issues raised during ‘Jan Sangharsh Yatra’: Sachin Pilot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Sunday said the public has accepted the issues on which he started his “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” — corruption and government recruitment exam paper leaks.

    The yatra, on its fourth day on Sunday, covered a distance of around 25 km from Mehla town in Jaipur district to Mahapura, where the dissident Congress leader is scheduled to stay the night.

    Addressing his supporters from the top of a bus in Mahapura on the Ajmer highway, Pilot said the yatra will reach its destination in Jaipur Monday.

    “The public has accepted the issues on which the yatra was started — paper leaks and corruption — for the future of the youth and clean politics,” he said.

    “This is not about a person…the public is standing by the issues with which we started,” he said.

    Pilot also saluted the enthusiasm of his supporters and invited people to his public rally to be organised on the fifth and last day of his yatra near Kamla Nehru Nagar on Ajmer highway in Jaipur.

    Pilot started his yatra from Ajmer on the issues of corruption and government recruitment exam paper leaks.

    “The yatra is getting overwhelming response from people. Be it the youth or the elderly, all are attending the padayatra,” an aide of Pilot said.

    Pilot began the foot march from Ajmer on Thursday, challenging Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the party’s top brass as assembly elections in Rajasthan approach.

    The yatra mounts further pressure on the party leadership as it hopes to retain the state in the elections at the end of the year.

    The march comes days after Gehlot accused the MLAs involved in the 2020 revolt of taking money from the BJP.

    Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs had then sought a leadership change in Rajasthan.

    He was sacked as the party’s state unit president and the deputy chief minister.

    The two Congress strongmen in Rajasthan have been at loggerheads over the post of chief minister ever since the party formed the government in the state in 2018.

    JAIPUR: Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Sunday said the public has accepted the issues on which he started his “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” — corruption and government recruitment exam paper leaks.

    The yatra, on its fourth day on Sunday, covered a distance of around 25 km from Mehla town in Jaipur district to Mahapura, where the dissident Congress leader is scheduled to stay the night.

    Addressing his supporters from the top of a bus in Mahapura on the Ajmer highway, Pilot said the yatra will reach its destination in Jaipur Monday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “The public has accepted the issues on which the yatra was started — paper leaks and corruption — for the future of the youth and clean politics,” he said.

    “This is not about a person…the public is standing by the issues with which we started,” he said.

    Pilot also saluted the enthusiasm of his supporters and invited people to his public rally to be organised on the fifth and last day of his yatra near Kamla Nehru Nagar on Ajmer highway in Jaipur.

    Pilot started his yatra from Ajmer on the issues of corruption and government recruitment exam paper leaks.

    “The yatra is getting overwhelming response from people. Be it the youth or the elderly, all are attending the padayatra,” an aide of Pilot said.

    Pilot began the foot march from Ajmer on Thursday, challenging Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the party’s top brass as assembly elections in Rajasthan approach.

    The yatra mounts further pressure on the party leadership as it hopes to retain the state in the elections at the end of the year.

    The march comes days after Gehlot accused the MLAs involved in the 2020 revolt of taking money from the BJP.

    Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs had then sought a leadership change in Rajasthan.

    He was sacked as the party’s state unit president and the deputy chief minister.

    The two Congress strongmen in Rajasthan have been at loggerheads over the post of chief minister ever since the party formed the government in the state in 2018.

  • Pilot slams Rajasthan CM Gehlot over Raje remark

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:  The rift between two top Congress leaders in Rajasthan has further deepened, with Sachin Pilot hitting out at Ashok Gehlot for his remarks that Vasundhara Raje saved his government in 2020.

    At a press conference in Jaipur on Tuesday, Pilot said, “After listening to Ashok Gehlot’s speech at Dholpur on Sunday, it reflects that it is not Sonia Gandhi but Vasundhara Raje is his real leader.”

    Pilot announced his decision to begin a padyatra from Ajmer to Jaipur on May 11 in an attempt to expose the corrupt deals of the previous Raje government and paper leaks during the Gehlot rule. Elections are due in Rajasthan this year. Pilot claimed that his charge of nexus between Gehlot and Raje stands proven by the chief minister’s own statements that the BJP leader had saved his government. 

    On Sunday, Gehlot expressed his gratitude to former CM Vasundhara Raje, Kailash Meghwal and BJP MLA Shobharani for helping him prevent toppling the government, despite belonging to the BJP. While Gehlot claims that the BJP tried to topple his government, but at the same suggests that Raje saved his government, said Pilot, asking the CM to clarify his stance.

    Asserting his claim for the post of Chief Minister in Rajasthan, Pilot mentioned meeting various leaders, including the late Ahmed Patel, and the formation of a committee comprising Ajay Maken and KC Venugopal. Pilot claimed that the roadmap was devised after considering their perspectives.

    He along with his loyalist MLAs worked towards strengthening the Congress during the Rajya Sabha and Vidhan  Sabha polls.

    The progress made over the past two and a half years serves as a testament to their efforts, said Pilot and emphasised that they did not engage in any act of indiscipline. However, in September of last year when there was an opportunity to discuss the matter with the MLAs, Gehlot compelled some of them to resign.

    Pilot announced the padyatra, stating, “I have raised the issue of corruption, and will continue to raise it. There has been no response regarding Vasundhara Raje’s corruption and the paper leak. That’s why I have decided to embark on a 125km walk from the RPSC in Ajmer, where many papers were leaked, to Jaipur on May 11. I will interact with the public during this padyatra, which is aimed at fighting corruption and supporting the youth.”

    On his next political move, Pilot said, “some individuals want a weak Congress and a split in the party. They are attempting my character assassination. We will not allow this to happen. My stance on public issues will remain unchanged. The people are more important than any leader, and we will present all these matters to the public,” he said.

    JAIPUR:  The rift between two top Congress leaders in Rajasthan has further deepened, with Sachin Pilot hitting out at Ashok Gehlot for his remarks that Vasundhara Raje saved his government in 2020.

    At a press conference in Jaipur on Tuesday, Pilot said, “After listening to Ashok Gehlot’s speech at Dholpur on Sunday, it reflects that it is not Sonia Gandhi but Vasundhara Raje is his real leader.”

    Pilot announced his decision to begin a padyatra from Ajmer to Jaipur on May 11 in an attempt to expose the corrupt deals of the previous Raje government and paper leaks during the Gehlot rule. Elections are due in Rajasthan this year. Pilot claimed that his charge of nexus between Gehlot and Raje stands proven by the chief minister’s own statements that the BJP leader had saved his government. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    On Sunday, Gehlot expressed his gratitude to former CM Vasundhara Raje, Kailash Meghwal and BJP MLA Shobharani for helping him prevent toppling the government, despite belonging to the BJP. While Gehlot claims that the BJP tried to topple his government, but at the same suggests that Raje saved his government, said Pilot, asking the CM to clarify his stance.

    Asserting his claim for the post of Chief Minister in Rajasthan, Pilot mentioned meeting various leaders, including the late Ahmed Patel, and the formation of a committee comprising Ajay Maken and KC Venugopal. Pilot claimed that the roadmap was devised after considering their perspectives.

    He along with his loyalist MLAs worked towards strengthening the Congress during the Rajya Sabha and Vidhan  Sabha polls.

    The progress made over the past two and a half years serves as a testament to their efforts, said Pilot and emphasised that they did not engage in any act of indiscipline. However, in September of last year when there was an opportunity to discuss the matter with the MLAs, Gehlot compelled some of them to resign.

    Pilot announced the padyatra, stating, “I have raised the issue of corruption, and will continue to raise it. There has been no response regarding Vasundhara Raje’s corruption and the paper leak. That’s why I have decided to embark on a 125km walk from the RPSC in Ajmer, where many papers were leaked, to Jaipur on May 11. I will interact with the public during this padyatra, which is aimed at fighting corruption and supporting the youth.”

    On his next political move, Pilot said, “some individuals want a weak Congress and a split in the party. They are attempting my character assassination. We will not allow this to happen. My stance on public issues will remain unchanged. The people are more important than any leader, and we will present all these matters to the public,” he said.

  • Raje, 2 other BJP leaders helped save my govt during 2020 rebellion by Cong MLAs: Gehlot 

    Gehlot and Raje have often been accused by their detractors in their own parties of “going soft” on each other, especially when it came to allegations of corruption. DHOLPUR (Rajasthan): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday claimed Vasundhara Raje and two other BJP leaders had helped save his government during the 2020 revolt by his party MLAs.

    He also took potshots at the rebel Congress MLAs saying they should return the money they had taken from the BJP so that they can carry out their duty without any pressure.

    Gehlot’s then deputy Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs had revolted against his leadership in July 2020.

    The month-long crisis ended after the intervention of the party high command. Pilot was then removed as the deputy chief minister and state Congress president.

    Addressing a programme in Dholpur, Gehlot said his government could be saved because of the support of three BJP leaders — former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, former assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal and MLA Shobharani Kushwah.

    “(Union ministers) Amit Shah, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Dharmendra Pradhan conspired together to topple my government. They distributed money in Rajasthan and they are not taking the money back now. I am surprised why they are not demanding the money back from them (the MLAs),” he claimed.

    “I have even told the MLAs that whatever money they have taken, Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore, if you have spent anything, I will give that part or I will get it from AICC (All India Congress Committee),” he said.

    Gehlot alleged that if the MLAs did not return the money, they will always be under pressure from Amit Shah.

    “He is the Union home minister, he will intimidate…in Maharashtra he divided Shiv Sena,” Gehlot alleged.

    He said that he was made the chief minister by the party for a third time and it was his duty to take all along and forget past happenings and ensure the return of the party to power in the assembly elections, slated for later this year.

    Gehlot said he, as the state party chief, did not support the toppling of the BJP government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as it was unfair, in the same manner, Raje and Meghwal did not support the toppling of the Congress government in 2020.

    He said that BJP MLA Shobharani Kushwah also listened to them and did not support the party.

    Gehlot and Raje have often been accused by their detractors in their own parties of “going soft” on each other, especially when it came to allegations of corruption.

    The two leaders have denied any such understanding. A few days ago, Raje had rejected allegations of collusion with Gehlot as lie, saying milk and lemon juice never mix.

    Dholpur MLA Kushwah had cross-voted in favour of the Congress candidate in Rajya Sabha elections last year and was suspended from the party subsequently.

    The Congress leader was addressing the programme in the home turf of former chief minister Raje.

    Gehlot also praised Congress MLAs Rohit Bohra, Chetan Dudi and Danish Abrar for alerting him about the revolt against his government in 2020.

    He said that these three MLAs, BSP-turned-Congress MLAs and independent MLAs who had supported him and saved his government during the political crisis in 2020 deserved to be made ministers in his government but he could not do so due to political reasons and was sad about it.

  • ‘If I’m Ravan, you become Ram & return Sanjeevani co-op money: Gehlot to Shekhawat

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hit back at Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday for calling him “Ravan”.

    Referring to Shekhawat’s alleged involvement in the Sanjeevani Credit Co-operative Society scam, Gehlot said, “If I am Ravan, you become Ram and return the investors’ money.”

    He further challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, saying, “If you throw stones at me, I will use those to build houses for the poor.”

    Addressing a gathering after visiting an inflation relief camp in Rawatsar town of Hanumangarh, Gehlot said Shekhawat’s friends are in jail in connection with the scam and the Union minister is also likely to go to prison.

    He said if Shekhawat is guilty, either he should resign on moral grounds or Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sack him.

    At the BJP’s Jan Aakrosh rally in Chittorgarh on Thursday, Shekhawat said, “If you want to end (the rule of) Ashok Gehlot, this Ravan of politics in Rajasthan, raise your hands and resolve to establish Ram Rajya in the state.”

    Reacting to these remarks, Gehlot on Friday said, “Nowadays, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other BJP leaders have started abusing me. Am I Ravan? You (Shekhawat) looted 2.5 lakh people in the Sanjeevani Society and they got ruined. Your friends are in jail. You can also go to jail anytime.”

    The Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court stayed Shekhawat’s arrest in connection with the scam recently.

    The Union minister has filed a criminal defamation case against Gehlot in a Delhi court for remarks linking him with the scam.

    Referring to the high court’s stay on Shekhawat’s arrest, Gehlot said, “He has taken a stay from the high court. He used to say that I am not an accused at all. If you are not an accused, why did you go to the court? Why did you get bail?”

    The chief minister further said, “You can get bail. You are an accused. You are a central minister, so either resign on the basis of morality or Prime Minister Modi should sack you. Why have you kept such a corrupt person in your cabinet?”

    Gehlot said, “He (Shekhawat) says Ashok Gehlot is Ravan. Okay, I am Ravan, but you become Ram. Pay the money of these 2.5 lakh people.”

    He accused Shekhawat of robbing people and buying farmhouses in other countries and said he should return the money of those poor people by selling all the properties of the Sanjeevani Society and those in his possession.

    The victims of the Sanjeevani scam met the chief minister several times.

    Referring to this, Gehlot said, “These people met me thrice. Tears welled up in my eyes. Now, those associated with the BJP are abusing me. My job is to serve.”

    “If you throw stones at me, I will use those to build houses for the poor. That is my thinking. I will get hospitals built. It is not my thinking that one cannot criticise and if one does, he will go to jail,” the Congress leader said.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hit back at Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday for calling him “Ravan”.

    Referring to Shekhawat’s alleged involvement in the Sanjeevani Credit Co-operative Society scam, Gehlot said, “If I am Ravan, you become Ram and return the investors’ money.”

    He further challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, saying, “If you throw stones at me, I will use those to build houses for the poor.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Addressing a gathering after visiting an inflation relief camp in Rawatsar town of Hanumangarh, Gehlot said Shekhawat’s friends are in jail in connection with the scam and the Union minister is also likely to go to prison.

    He said if Shekhawat is guilty, either he should resign on moral grounds or Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sack him.

    At the BJP’s Jan Aakrosh rally in Chittorgarh on Thursday, Shekhawat said, “If you want to end (the rule of) Ashok Gehlot, this Ravan of politics in Rajasthan, raise your hands and resolve to establish Ram Rajya in the state.”

    Reacting to these remarks, Gehlot on Friday said, “Nowadays, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other BJP leaders have started abusing me. Am I Ravan? You (Shekhawat) looted 2.5 lakh people in the Sanjeevani Society and they got ruined. Your friends are in jail. You can also go to jail anytime.”

    The Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court stayed Shekhawat’s arrest in connection with the scam recently.

    The Union minister has filed a criminal defamation case against Gehlot in a Delhi court for remarks linking him with the scam.

    Referring to the high court’s stay on Shekhawat’s arrest, Gehlot said, “He has taken a stay from the high court. He used to say that I am not an accused at all. If you are not an accused, why did you go to the court? Why did you get bail?”

    The chief minister further said, “You can get bail. You are an accused. You are a central minister, so either resign on the basis of morality or Prime Minister Modi should sack you. Why have you kept such a corrupt person in your cabinet?”

    Gehlot said, “He (Shekhawat) says Ashok Gehlot is Ravan. Okay, I am Ravan, but you become Ram. Pay the money of these 2.5 lakh people.”

    He accused Shekhawat of robbing people and buying farmhouses in other countries and said he should return the money of those poor people by selling all the properties of the Sanjeevani Society and those in his possession.

    The victims of the Sanjeevani scam met the chief minister several times.

    Referring to this, Gehlot said, “These people met me thrice. Tears welled up in my eyes. Now, those associated with the BJP are abusing me. My job is to serve.”

    “If you throw stones at me, I will use those to build houses for the poor. That is my thinking. I will get hospitals built. It is not my thinking that one cannot criticise and if one does, he will go to jail,” the Congress leader said.

  • Sachin Pilot says will continue to protest graft during former CM Raje’s regime

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:  Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot has asserted he will continue with his agitation for action against the corruption of the previous BJP government.

    Speaking to the media in Jaipur on Sunday, Pilot said he will not back down from the stand he has taken against the state Congress government and has been “politely requesting” it to take action in corruption cases of the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje.

    Pilot also remarked that despite his fast on April 11, no action has been taken in these cases. “Speaking the truth, raising voice against corruption and injustice, is among the values of the Congress party. Following these values, I observed a one-day fast on April 11. Today, it’s been two weeks, no action has been taken so far. So, again I politely request the government to fulfil the promises we had made to the people,” Pilot told reporters after offering prayers at Jaipur’s famous  Jharkhand Temple on Sunday.

    Pilot added that he greatly welcomes the action taken by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which arrested several corrupt IAS, IPS, RAS and other officers. 

    He further said, “the chief minister himself had said that ACB is active and has raided several corrupt officers, which we all welcome. But, when he had come to power after being in opposition for five years, we never said that we would arrest a patwari or officer. We had said we will take action in the corruption cases that happened in Vasundhara Ji’s tenure.”

    ALSO READ | ‘We are all united’: Rajasthan Congress chief on Gehlot-Pilot issue

    Significantly, Pilot wondered how demanding action against corruption is being termed as an ‘anti-party activity’. Instead, he said that the September 25 incident when pro-Gehlot MLAs had boycotted the CLP meeting in Jaipur, was a virtual rebellion against Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the real damage to the party was due to that action of the MLAs last year.

    Pilot also raised questions over the inaction against the pro-Gehlot leaders who had defied the party’s high command in September 2022.

    “It is true that the incident that took place on September 25 was an open violation of the orders of our Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken were openly insulted. Why hasn’t action been taken against them yet? The answer lies with the party,” Pilot remarked as he once again asserted.

    Pilot also argued that it was unfair to call his fast ‘anti-party’ and said “this is the first time that even before an event took place, it was declared so.

    ALSO READ | AAP, RLP keep door open for Sachin Pilot

    JAIPUR:  Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot has asserted he will continue with his agitation for action against the corruption of the previous BJP government.

    Speaking to the media in Jaipur on Sunday, Pilot said he will not back down from the stand he has taken against the state Congress government and has been “politely requesting” it to take action in corruption cases of the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje.

    Pilot also remarked that despite his fast on April 11, no action has been taken in these cases. “Speaking the truth, raising voice against corruption and injustice, is among the values of the Congress party. Following these values, I observed a one-day fast on April 11. Today, it’s been two weeks, no action has been taken so far. So, again I politely request the government to fulfil the promises we had made to the people,” Pilot told reporters after offering prayers at Jaipur’s famous  Jharkhand Temple on Sunday.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Pilot added that he greatly welcomes the action taken by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which arrested several corrupt IAS, IPS, RAS and other officers. 

    He further said, “the chief minister himself had said that ACB is active and has raided several corrupt officers, which we all welcome. But, when he had come to power after being in opposition for five years, we never said that we would arrest a patwari or officer. We had said we will take action in the corruption cases that happened in Vasundhara Ji’s tenure.”

    ALSO READ | ‘We are all united’: Rajasthan Congress chief on Gehlot-Pilot issue

    Significantly, Pilot wondered how demanding action against corruption is being termed as an ‘anti-party activity’. Instead, he said that the September 25 incident when pro-Gehlot MLAs had boycotted the CLP meeting in Jaipur, was a virtual rebellion against Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the real damage to the party was due to that action of the MLAs last year.

    Pilot also raised questions over the inaction against the pro-Gehlot leaders who had defied the party’s high command in September 2022.

    “It is true that the incident that took place on September 25 was an open violation of the orders of our Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken were openly insulted. Why hasn’t action been taken against them yet? The answer lies with the party,” Pilot remarked as he once again asserted.

    Pilot also argued that it was unfair to call his fast ‘anti-party’ and said “this is the first time that even before an event took place, it was declared so.

    ALSO READ | AAP, RLP keep door open for Sachin Pilot