New Delhi: A three-member committee constituted by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ahmed Patel and K.C. Venugopal, got cracking hours after its formation, holding a meeting with rebel leader Sachin Pilot and the 18 MLAs supporting him in Delhi, sources in the party told ThePrint
The meeting is currently underway and all the MLAs will be given time to air their grievances.
“The meeting is going on at the Gurudwara Rakabganj Road office. The three committee members and the MLAs will have a detailed discussion. The matter is already resolved and their demands will be looked into,” said a senior Congress leader.
The committee will give the final report to Sonia Gandhi. “There are many issues that have to be resolved and having a dialogue is the first step in the direction. The MLAs will also head to Jaipur soon,” added the leader.
The meeting comes after both Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi met Pilot earlier in the day, following which Sonia Gandhi spoke to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and then constituted the committee.
The Congress also issued a statement that the former deputy CM of Rajasthan “has committed to working in the interest” of the party and the state government.
The statement, issued by senior leader Venugopal, stated: “Shri Sachin Pilot has met with former Congress president Shri Rahul Gandhi and expressed his grievances in detail. They have had a frank, open and conclusive discussion. Shri Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan.
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“Following this meeting, Congress president Smt Sonia Gandhi has decided that the AICC will constitute a three-member committee to address the issues raised by Shri Sachin Pilot and the aggrieved MLAs, and arrive at an appropriate resolution thereof.”
MLAs headed to Jaipur
One of the Pilot camp MLAs, Bhanwar Lal Sharma, who was suspended from the Congress earlier, already reached Jaipur Monday and met Gehlot. In a press conference after the meeting , Sharma insisted: “Gehlot is our leader. There is no danger to the government.”
Asked what he had discussed with the chief minister, Sharma said: “I discussed issues related to my constituency especially water and electricity”.
Sharma maintained that the Congress is “a family”, and when asked if Pilot was aware of this meeting with Gehlot, he said: “I have not spoken to Pilot. Sachin Pilot spoke to Rahul Gandhi. As far as I am concerned, I am the same leader I was before. I am very much with the Congress. I am with Ashok Gehlot.”
Sources said more rebel MLAs are likely to reach Jaipur before of the assembly session on 14 August.
Pilot’s meeting
Sachin Pilot himself is also likely to go to Jaipur in the next few days.
A senior Congress leader told ThePrint about Pilot’s meetings with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, where he insisted that his contribution to the party in Rajasthan be acknowledged.
“Sachin maintained that he has never spoken against Gehlot, something which the Gandhis also acknowledged. He reiterated that all his grievances must be addressed, and his contribution to the party in the state should be acknowledged. This too was acknowledged by Priyanka and Rahul,” said the leader.
Pilot also pointed out that the party had promised to make him CM for half the term, something which did not happen. “It is likely that Pilot may stay away from Rajasthan politics for some time. He has also indicated that he is ready to work for the organisation as well. He insisted he had no intention of joining the BJP,” said a Congress source.
The former deputy CM also said no action should be taken against the 18 MLAs belonging to his camp, and no summons should be issued from the Special Operation Group of the Rajasthan Police.
A second senior Congress leader praised Gehlot for the way he handled the crisis. “The entire episode has only strengthened Gehlot’s hold in Rajasthan. It shows he is a man in command and knows how to handle such situations. It took more than a month, but he handled the situation and held the flock together.”
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