The Congress party demonstrated a united front on Monday as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot held a detailed meeting with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi.
The leaders announced that they have agreed to fight together against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, presenting a united face ahead of the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections.
After the four-hour-long meeting at Kharge’s residence, Gehlot, Pilot, and party General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal appeared before the press. Venugopal stated, “In view of the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections, Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had a detailed discussion with Gehlot and Pilot. We have decided to fight the elections together, and both leaders agree that the Congress needs to be united in Rajasthan. They have unanimously agreed to work together, and we are confident of winning in Rajasthan. Pilot and Gehlot will join forces to fight against the BJP, and we will emerge victorious in the state.”
When asked about the specifics of the proposal, Venugopal mentioned that both leaders have entrusted the decision to the party’s high command.
He reiterated that Gehlot and Pilot will collaborate and jointly combat the BJP in Rajasthan, expressing confidence in their victory.
The acceptance of this formula to bring the two leaders together ahead of the crucial Assembly polls comes as a relief for the party, which has witnessed internal conflicts as Gehlot and Pilot have been publicly criticizing each other in recent months.
Gehlot arrived at Kharge’s residence around 6 p.m., followed by Pilot, who joined the meeting approximately an hour and a half later. Rahul Gandhi was present throughout the meeting, which was deemed crucial for resolving the tensions within the state leadership.
According to sources, after discussing matters with Gehlot, the party leadership held a separate discussion with Pilot. Meanwhile, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Venugopal addressed the issues raised by Pilot while Gehlot waited in another room. Following these discussions, the party leadership arranged a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders to address their differences in detail.
The Congress party has recognized the significance of presenting a united front ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly elections, which are scheduled to take place later this year. The internal rift between Gehlot and Pilot has been a matter of concern for the party, with both leaders engaging in public verbal sparring. However, their joint commitment to fight against the BJP indicates a shift towards reconciliation and unity within the party.
Earlier in the day, upon his arrival in the national capital, Gehlot dismissed speculations about various formulas involving him and Pilot, stating, “I have never witnessed a tradition in Congress where a leader makes demands or the high command asks what post he wants.” He refuted such reports as media creations, suggesting that certain leaders might be planting these stories.
The series of meetings on Monday followed Pilot’s “ultimatum” in which he stated that if three demands he made to the state government were not met by the end of the month, he would initiate a state-wide agitation. One of his demands included a high-level inquiry into alleged scams that occurred during the tenure of the former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government.
The Rajasthan unit of the Congress has experienced turmoil since July 2020 when Pilot staged a revolt, seeking a change in leadership. As a consequence, Pilot was removed from the post of Deputy Chief Minister as well as the state Congress President. The tensions within the state party deepened further in September of the same year, just before the party President’s election.
The meeting between Gehlot, Pilot, Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi indicates a significant step towards resolving internal conflicts within the Congress party. Both Gehlot and Pilot have shown their willingness to set aside their differences and work towards a common goal – defeating the BJP in Rajasthan. (Edited)