Team Sachin Pilot set to dig in and wait for verdict from SC

NEW DELHI: The Rajasthan HC direction to the assembly Speaker to maintain status quo as regards membership of Congress’ Sachin Pilot and 18 MLAs is a boost to the rebels who intend to dig in their heels and await the verdict of the Supreme Court which is hearing their case.
The immediate objective of the Pilot camp is to win the legal battles relating to their memberships which face the threat of disqualification and retain leverage in the event of a floor test that is seen as inevitable, given the current political instability in the state. Continued membership of the assembly allows the rebels to force respectable terms from the Congress high command in case they decide to look for a way back or allows them to pose a serious challenge to CM Ashok Gehlot in the assembly.
Sources close to Pilot expressed relief that the HC had considered their plea that the Speaker had acted hastily, indicating a premeditated mind and that none of their actions could be seen as disobedience amounting to anti-party activities. “If we are accused of conspiracy, there must be some proof. Not some audio clips and some low-level functionaries,” a source said.
The SC will take up day-today hearing from Monday to consider whether there is a case of dissent being quashed by use of the law on disqualification. The dissidents feel the Gehlot government is seeking to charge them with sedition for actions that could at best be seen as dissidence. The rebels plan to consider their options after the SC disposes of the case, pointing out that there was no room for any discussion as Gehlot has kept up his sharp attacks on Pilot.