BJP’s only solace: Cracks in Congress fort

NEW DELHI: Though it kept itself in the background during the political crisis in Rajasthan, BJP would have been more than pleased if the Ashok Gehlot government had come down, dealing rival Congress yet another blow.
Any discreet backing for the Sachin Pilot-led rebellion, as evidenced by the rebels parking themselves in Haryana for a while, apart from Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra’s insistence on a notice period for convening the assembly, could have resulted in a regime change in Jaipur which did not happen.
The view in the saffron camp seems to be that Pilot fell short by a handful of potential backers and that a figure of around 30 dissidents may have sealed the fate of the Ashok Gehlot government. The chief minister, sensing a plot in the works, acted fast and slapped cases on the dissidents accusing them of working with BJP to destabilise his government.
But while the Congress fort seems to have survived the assault, serious cracks have been exposed as Pilot is seen to be close to Rahul Gandhi. Congress’s problems in accommodating leaders and ensuring a hierarchy that is accepted have only increased. The manner in which the squabbling in Rajasthan was allowed to fester has, feel BJP leaders, only served to put a spotlight on leadership issues in the main opposition.
It remains to be seen how Pilot and Gehlot will pull along, but it is felt that the younger leader’s decision not to join BJP limited his options. The numerical edge lay with Gehlot and the looming floor test meant there was no time for second guesses. The choice of Pilot’s lawyers, Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, pointed to BJP’s involvement, but the party, given its doubts about the rebel’s commitment, chose to hold back.