Sachin Pilot gets assurance on Rajasthan CM’s post, Congress high command to decide timing: Report

Rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot has called a truce after the Congress high command gave an assurance to to address his grievances.

The political crisis in Rajasthan ended on Monday after former deputy CM Sachin Pilot met senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra. Although the over a month-long turmoil has settled for now, the tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot is far from over.

READ MORE: ‘Ashok Gehlot elder to me, I respect him personally’, says Sachin Pilot

According to a report in The Indian Express, sources close to Pilot said that he has been able to get an assurance from the leadership that he could be considered for the chief minister’s job closer to the Assembly elections due in December 2023.

For now, he could be offered the post of AICC general secretary in Delhi, sources told the daily. Pilot, however, is not interested in shifting base to Delhi and wants to remain in Jaipur.

Pilot has, however, denied raising any demands with the party high command throughout this episode. He said that his outburst was only aimed at getting his grievances heard, which happened when Rahul and Priyanka gave him an audience.

The IE report said he has also been given a written commitment to set up a high-level panel to address the issues raised by him. Prior to his meeting yesterday, a three-member Committee was formed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to address the grievances. Sources said Priyanka Gandhi, Ahmed Patel and K C Venugopal will be part of this Committee.

The report said that the Pilot camp claims Ashok Gehlot’s conduct and use of language has not gone down well with the party high command. Gehlot had publicly called Pilot ‘nikamma’ and ‘nakara’.

Sources said Pilot met for two hours with Rahul and Priyanka. During the meeting, the leaders discussed generally what is to be done.

Pilot realised that replacing Ashok Gehlot was not immediately possible and he will have to wait for some more time.

The IE report said while there is an assurance of a change of guard, Pilot is learnt to have left the timing to the high command.

“If it is too late… then there is no point doing it. It has to be a reasonable time, so that he can leave a mark and move into elections…there is a realisation that it is inevitable,” a senior party leader told the daily.

The report said that 18 MLAs who sided with Sachin Pilot could find a place in the state cabinet when a reshuffle takes place. Also, the heads of the Youth Congress and NSUI state units may be given the posts. Besides, the cases against all the rebels will be dropped too, sources told the IE.