Priority is to win 2023 elections: Sachin Pilot after meeting Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi

Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Thursday night met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and said he discussed the events in the state in detail and expressed his sentiments on the situation.

Pilot spent around an hour at Gandhi's residence and also conveyed his feedback to her.

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"I met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and we discussed the events in Rajasthan in detail," Pilot said after meeting the Congress chief.

"I have conveyed my sentiments, given my feedback to Sonia Gandhi. Our priority is to win 2023 assembly polls in Rajasthan for which we will have to work together," Pilot said after the meeting.

"Whatever positive decisions have to be taken with respect to Rajasthan, Congress president will take," Pilot said when asked on the action to be taken by the party after the events in Rajasthan

Pilot met hours after his bete noire Ashok Gehlot met Sonia Gandhi in the afternoon, after which the Rajasthan chief minister announced that he will opt out of the Congress president's race.

Gehlot also said the decision on whether he would remain CM would be taken by Gandhi.

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The meetings come days after an open rebellion by Gehlot loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state.

The party's disciplinary committee has asked three Gehlot loyalists -- Rajasthan ministers Shanti Dhariwal and Mahesh Joshi, and Dharmendra Rathore -- to explain within 10 days why action should not be initiated against them. This was after observers for Rajasthan, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken, charged them with "gross indiscipline" in a report to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Eighty-two MLAs participated in a parallel meeting at Dhariwal's residence in Jaipur, laying down conditions for the party. They did not attend the official legislature party meeting convened for passing a resolution authorising the Congress chief to appoint a successor to Gehlot.

With the Rajasthan episode posing a significant challenge before the party, the Congress president has also been holding discussions with senior party leaders from across the country to resolve the crisis.

(With PTI inputs)