Rajasthan Crisis LIVE Updates: Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal & Ahmed Patel in Panel that Will Address Pilot's Complaints

Wanted to Highlight Some Issues: Sachin Pilot | "There were some issues which we wanted to highlight. I did that. I'd been saying since the beginning that all these things were based on principle. I always thought these things are essential to be raised in the party's interest," says Sachin Pilot.

Sonia Gandhi Appoints 3 Leaders to Panel | KC Venugopal, Ahmed Patel and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are part of the committee set up by Sonia Gandhi to address grievances of Sachin Pilot and is supporters. A meeting regarding the same is underway now.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal arrive at party's 15 GRG Road war room:

Delhi: Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal arrive at party's 15 GRG Road war room.

A meeting of these party leaders with Sachin Pilot & other MLAs supporting him, is underway here. pic.twitter.com/DNHtSqlRlO

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020

'Slap in BJP's Anti-democratic Face' | Sachin Pilot is also happy and our Chief Minister is also happy. This is a direct slap on BJP's anti-democratic face. They are the people doing such horse-trading and sabotaging democratically elected government. This is actually a message to BJP's wrong-doings: KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary.

"Because of the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and efforts of Priyanka Gandhi, we have managed to keep Sachin Pilot with us," says Jitin Prasada.

Today because of the leadership of @RahulGandhi and the efforts of @priyankagandhi we have managed to keep one of our own @SachinPilot with us. This is the democratic spirit of our party @INCIndia where there is room for dissent and debate. https://t.co/jAfR7699uo

— Jitin Prasada जितिन प्रसाद (@JitinPrasada) August 10, 2020

Priyanka Gandhi reaches 15 GRG where a meeting among Sachin Pilot, his supporters and Ahmed Patel.

Pilot, Supporters to Meet Ahmed Patel | Sachin Pilot and MLAs supporting him to meet Ahmed Patel at 15 GRG.

Will Happily Welcome Pilot's Return: Tharoor | "The Congress party has every right to keep its brightest talents within it. I hope that he (Sachin Pilot) will come back and if the news is confirmed, I would be amongst those very happily welcoming and applauding it," says senior leader Shashi Tharoor.

"We must respect the decision of Congress high command," says Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.

Humility and magnanimity are virtues. We must respect the decision of Congress high command. In the struggle for the Indian people, United we stand, Divided we fall.

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) August 10, 2020

Gehlot is Our Leader, Says Rebel Congress MLA | "The Rajasthan government is safe," said Bhanwar Lal Sharma. "Sachin Pilot spoke to Rahul Gandhi today." Sharma, who met Gehlot earlier in the day, expressed faith in his leadership. "I am the same leader as I was before, I have no grudges now," he said. "I am with the Congress. I am with Ashok Gehlot." Read full article here

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi welcomes back Sachin Pilot in a tweet. He congratulates Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala and Ajay Maken.

Welcome back #Sachin. A constructive &enjoyable phase of Rajasthan building awaits. Congrats 4teamwork under #RahulGandhi +his tireless team, incl #Venugopal, #Surjewala #Maken who became residents of my home state. Not 2forget pol instincts of #Gehlot which rarely fail him.

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) August 10, 2020

Congress Works Out 'Support Gehlot' Deal with Sachin | According to sources, Pilot is in touch with the Congress high command and has spoken to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over phone. The high command has assured the rebel leader of not taking any action and sought his support for the Ashok Gehlot camp, sources added. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is said to decide on the "final formula of reconciliation". Read full report here

Pilot Camp to Have Role in Party, Govt | According to sources, all MLAs of the Sachin Pilot camp will return to Jaipur tonight. Sonia Gandhi will decide roles of Pilot and MLAs supporting him. The Pilot camp will have a role in the party and the state government.

Pilot Committed to Party: Congress | AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal issues a statement saying that Sachin Pilot has comitted to the Congress following a meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot had a frank, open and conclusive discussion. Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress and the Congress government in Rajasthan. Following this meeting, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has decided that the AICC will constitute a three-member committee to address the issues raised by Sachin Pilot and the aggrieved MLA and arrive at an appropriate resolution thereof.

Bhanwarlal Sharma Leaves Gehlot's Residence | Pilot camp MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma leaves CM Gehlot's residence after meeting says all issues have been sorted out. "I never left the party. Sachin Pilot will speak about himself," he said.

Pilot Camp Ministers to be Reinstated: Sources | Sources said that no action will be taken against rebel MLAs. It has also been promised that the rebel ministers of the Pilot camp will again be given the ranks of ministers. Even if not immediately, cabinet expansion will be done soon.

Sedition Charges against Rebel MLA Dropped | Sedition charges against Pilot camp MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma were removed. He said, "There was no camp, nobody was captive. I went there willingly, I came here willingly," he said.

I am with Ashok Gehlot: Rebel MLA | "I am the same leader I was before, I have no grudges now. I am with the Congress, I am with Ashok Gehlot," says Bhanwarlal Sharma.

Rajasthan Govt Safe: Bhanwarlal Sharma | Sachin Pilot camp Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma says that the Rajasthan government is safe. He had met CM Ashok Gehlot earlier today. "Ashok Gehlot is out leader and we are a family," he said.

Rebel Congress MLAs Start Returning to Jaipur | Rebel Congress MLAs have started returning to Jaipur. Earlier, Pilot camp MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma had returned to Jaipur and met Ashok Gehlot. Brijendra Ola was also slated to return to the state.

Vital Timing and Message behind Rahul Gandhi's Meeting with Pilot | The meeting between Sachin Pilot and the Gandhi siblings came on a very interesting day. Sonia Gandhi has completed a year as interim president and will continue till a permanent chief is found. This development came even as clamour for Rahul Gandhi to return as president is growing. Rahul Gandhi taking the lead to broker peace with Pilot will now be pitched as his leadership should the storm subside in Rajasthan. Read Pallavi Ghosh's piece here

Gehlot Govt to Go Due to Cong Internal Feud: BJP | Gulab Singh Kataria said that if the Ashok Gehlot government goes, it will be due to internal feud in the Congress; if it survives, it will be because of some kind of rapprochement between the warring factions. "There is so much of bitterness and rancour among the Congress factions against each other that even if they join hands, there will never be a meeting of their hearts. This government will disintegrate, today of four months later but it will go," he said.

BJP's Strategy to Depend on Fate of BSP MLAs: Leaders | While it appears that Gehlot enjoys a majority, even if reduced, in the assembly, BJP leaders said their strategy will also depend on the fate of the six BSP MLAs whose merger with the Congress has been challenged in the Supreme Court, which will hear the issue on Tuesday.

Raje Now on Same Page: BJP Sources | There may have been differences but everyone is now on the same page, BJP sources told PTI, referring to reports that Vasundhara Raje was unhappy at not being kept in loop over the party's tactics in Rajasthan. Her long silence as the political crisis hit the state government amid an all-out attack on the Congress dispensation by a section of BJP and her decision to skip state party meetings in Jaipur had fuelled speculation that she was not as keen as many of her colleagues to see the Gehlot government toppled.

BJP MLAs to Meet Tomorrow | A meeting of BJP MLAs has been called tomorrow, BJP legislative party leader Gulab Chand Kataria said. BJP sources said that former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who has been meeting party's national leadership in Delhi over the last few days, may attend the meeting in Jaipur.

Rajasthan Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh has bashed "assumptions" and "rumours" around developments in the state.

Too much is being said too quickly. Too many assumptions, too many rumours and too many factually incorrect stories. Hold your horses everyone! Watch this space for updates!

— Vishvendra Singh Bharatpur (@vishvendrabtp) August 10, 2020

Cong Govt will Disintegrate: Gulab Chand Kataria | BJP legislative party leader Gulab Chand Kataria claimed that a unity in the Congress ranks can only be temporary and the government is "bound to disintegrate sooner than later".

Committee to be Formed to Resolve Issue: Congress Sources | After listening to Sachin Pilot's grievances, it has been decided that he will meet senior leaders shortly and a committee will be formed to make out modalities for resolving the issue. In the meantime the Congress has been successful in neutralising a few MLAs from the Pilot camp, ANI quoted its sources as saying.

Gehlot 'Villain' of Political Crisis: BJP | Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia asks Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to quit on moral grounds, saying he is the "villain" of the political crisis unfolding in the state. He said the crisis reflected the weakness of the Congress high command and exposed the party's "character" before people once again.

Another Pilot Supporter May Meet Gehlot | According to information, Pilot camp MLA Brijendra Ola has departed from Delhi to Jaipur. Ola is likely to meet Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, according to sources.