BY ARCHANA SHARMA
With Rajasthan deputy Chief Minister and PCC chief Sachin Pilot opening a direct front against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, history seems to be repeating itself after 68 years when Mohanlal Sukhadiya had openly rebelled against the then Chief Minister Jainarayan Vyas in 1952 to dethrone him and take his chair.
At that time, chief minister Jainarayan Vyas had to fight a tough battle against his own cabinet minister Mohanlal Sukhadiya who opened a strong rebellion against his government.
Gehlot, at present, is facing a similar battle 68 years later to save his chair as Pilot has rebelled, claiming that Rajasthan government is in minority.
The Rajasthan Chief Minister has taken all his MLAs from his camp to a plush hotel to stake claim that his government is safe.
In those times, Vyas was a favourite of the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, just the same way as Gehlot enjoys the backing of the Congress high command today.
However, the rebel force in 1952 was so strong that Nehru had to put his favouritism aside to change the power equations.
In 1952, Vyas was announced the chief minister of Rajasthan even after facing defeat in assembly elections. Thereafter, factions started appearing in the Congress party.
Then 38-year-old sukhadiya opened a rebellion against the then CM Vyas. Nehru tried his best to save the government, but when all his efforts failed, he sent Congress general secretary Balwant Rai Mehta to Jaipur. The party MLAs then were given the option of voting in which Sukhadiya was declared the winner by 8 votes. Later on, he was appointed as the CM and he became the youngest CM of the country then.
Soon after the results were announced, Sukhadiya got into a Tonga and went to the CM residence straight from the Congress office, got the house vacuated and went in to stay there with the luggage.
