Congress braces up for Sachin Pilot’s take off in Rajasthan

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By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, June 6: The Congress has gone in a huddle amid reports that the party leader Sachin Pilot is all set to launch own political outfit ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly election later this year. The Congress strategy to tire out Pilot in his war of nerves with the incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appears to have failed.

The Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjiner Singh Randhawa told reporters that he was hearing the news of Pilot launching own political party from the media only. “He didn’t want this (exiting from the Congress) earlier,” Randhawa told reporters.

Incidentally, Gehlot and Pilot had met Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge recently amid attempts of the party to broker peace between the two feuding leaders. But Gehlot has reportedly been dismissive of accommodating aspirations of Pilot in the party’s affairs in Rajasthan.

With the Congress coining the slogan of ‘riwaz badlenge, sarkar nahin (will change tradition, not government)’ for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly poll, the party is learnt to be backing Gehlot for the campaign. Pilot, incidentally, sees the Congress high command fully behind Gehlot, which apparently leaves his political ego bruised.

According to media reports, Pilot is all set to launch Pragatisheel Congress in a rally to be held soon. The Congress criss managers such as K C Venugopal have been pressed in action to dissuade Pilot from crossing the red line to float own party.

Gehlot and Pilot have been feuding for almost two years now, and the Congress high command is seen to have not been able to address the demands of the Gujjar leader, who has taken out several padyatra in the state to demonstrate his strength.

PTI reported quoting sources close to Pilot that he is still awaiting a response from the Congress high command. Pilot stepped up his demand for action in alleged corruption case during the tenure of Vasundhara Raje-led government of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP).

However, the failed truce meeting in the national capital between Pilot and the chief minister in the presence of Kharge apparently gave indications to the restive leader that his demand for respectable position in the state will not be met with Gehlot at the helm.

Pilot’s exit from the Congress is likely to be a dampener for the Congress, which is currently brimming with confidence after winning the Karnataka Assembly election. Rajasthan is known for voting out incumbent governments in Assembly elections.