Ashok Gehlot keeps Rajasthan on boil, riles up Sachin Pilot

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appears to be keeping the pot boiling in Rajasthan with statements at regular intervals that end up riling up his challenger Sachin Pilot and make him take steps that either corner himself within the Congress or help him find a way out.

Gehlot has consolidated his position and would be in all likelihood leading the campaign in the state elections this year-end while an impatient Pilot is finding more and more isolated even as he is testing the patience of the central leadership, which has been sympathetic to him so far.

The latest flashpoint is Pilot’s announcement of a 125 km ‘padayatra’ against corruption and problems faced by youth from Thursday, which was precipitated by Gehlot’s comments in Dholpur revisiting the 2020 rebellion and now BJP leader Vasundhara Raje helped save the government.

Read | 'Ashok Gehlot's leader seems to be Vasundhara Raje, not Sonia Gandhi,' says Sachin Pilot in fresh salvo against CM

Gehlot’s statement comes a month after Pilot held a one-day fast in Jaipur urging an investigation against Raje on corruption allegations, as he broke his almost six-month ceasefire. Even after the fast, Pilot has been keeping silent after the intervention of the leadership, which avoided action against him.

The Chief Minister knew that no action followed and Pilot remained safe for the time being after his April 11 fast though party in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had issued a terse statement. It is against this background that Gehlot’s renewed bid to coarse Pilot into agitation mode.

Ahead of Bharat Jodo Yatra entering Rajasthan late last year, Gehlot had called Pilot a “traitor” and cannot be made Chief Minister. Gehlot also ensures that the 2020 episode is played at regular intervals while Pilot is yet to counter the narrative.

With just six months away from elections, Gehlot appeared to have taken a calculated risk to reignite the debate and precipitate action, which pushed Pilot to take some political steps. Gehlot has never shied from expressing his dislike for Pilot and has indicated that it was better if he left the party.

Gehlot camp believes that Pilot has prepared for any eventuality and is looking at an option of a third force in Rajasthan in alliance with AAP and Hanuman Beniwal’s Rashtriya Loktantrik Party. So far, Pilot has not been able to convince the leadership to take action against the leaders who sabotaged the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Jaipur in September ahead of the Congress presidential election.

The leadership is of the view that it should not precipitate action and enrage Gehlot, as he has undoubtedly cleared who is the ‘boss’. After the aborted bid to make Pilot the Chief Minister with the elevation of Gehlot as Congress president, the leadership too was miffed with the veteran leader.

Some in the central leadership are even learnt to have advised Pilot to lure more MLAs from Gehlot camp to his side – the September episode had exposed that Pilot has dwindling numbers and most of those who were with him then had also switched sides.

While the last word is yet to be said in the Rajasthan drama, both Gehlot and Pilot are preparing themselves for any political eventuality.