Signs of truce? Sachin Pilot’s posters back at Congress office hours after being taken down

Sachin Pilot’s posters back at Congress’ office in Jaipur. (File pic)

Hours after posters and banners of Rajasthan deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot were removed from the Congress’ Jaipur office, workers were seen putting up posters back again. Pilot, the president of Congress’ Rajasthan unit, has revolted against his own party leadership and is currently in Delhi with a group of supporting MLAs.

The posters were removed from the party office amid his rebellion against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The rift between Gehlot and Pilot came to fore on Sunday with Pilot claiming the support of 30 MLAs and that Gehlot was heading a minority government.

Pilot was miffed with Gehlot after the former was served a notice by the SOG of Rajasthan police for recording his statement in the alleged bid to topple the Congress government.

Earlier this morning, the CLP meeting was called by Ashok Gehlot at his residence in Jaipur. However, Pilot announced that he will not attend the party legislature meeting following which his posters were removed.

The Congress party through media made an appeal to Pilot and ‘missing’ MLAs to attend the meet and hinted that the doors are open for talks. It is believed that Pilot initially turned down the offer for talks but later party leadership including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra spoke to him.

Pilot has now demanded the Home and Finance portfolios and key departments for his support. Besides, he has also staked the claim for the PCC president post. Pilot was made the PCC chief in 2014 after the party’s humiliating defeat in 2013 Assembly polls.

The decision to put up Sachin Pilot’s posters back at the party office indicates that the crisis that had gripped the Ashok Gehlot government is over for now. The Ashok Gehlot camp has claimed the support of 102 MLAs in the 200-member Legislative Assembly.

The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot had started way back in 2018 when the state went to polls. The two leaders crossed swords for the first time during the selection of candidates and then for CM’s chairs after Congress’ win. Pilot was then given the deputy CM post. But the differences refused to die and were reported again during the portfolio distribution.

A war of words between the two leaders surfaced once again during the general elections in May 2019. The Pilot camp claimed the Ashok Gehlot didn’t work for the party candidates and focussed on the Jodhpur seat from where his son was in the fray.