With less than two weeks left for the Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter Rajasthan, the factional divide in the state Congress has widened with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday making it clear that his bete noir Sachin Pilot cannot succeed him as he is a "gaddar" (traitor) who tried to unseat the party-led government.
Gehlot's reaction comes as Pilot walked alongside Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh with the latter's camp attempting to project the former Deputy Chief Minister as the one supported by the first family in the party.
Congress sought to douse the fire by issuing a statement that described Gehlot as a "senior and experienced" leader. "Whatever differences he (Gehlot) has expressed with his younger colleague Sachin Pilot will be resolved in a manner that strengthens" the Congress and "right now it is the duty of each and every" member of Congress to make the "already hugely succesful Bharat Jodo Yatra even more impactful" in north India.
Pilot retorted saying Gehlot's claims were false and baseless while insisting that it was "not time for accusations, allegations and mudslinging", especially by someone who is tasked to work to defeat the BJP in Gujarat elections. "No one should be insecure and nothing is permanent in life and politics. One should not say things that is unbecoming of people with such vast experience," he said.
Earlier this month, Pilot had targeted Gehlot for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise of the Chief Minister, saying it is “interesting” and “cannot be taken lightly” while citing the example of Ghulam Nabi Azad. Gehlot had then said that people should not make such statements.
Tension has been brewing in Rajasthan for the past couple of months with supporters of Pilot aiming to dethrone Gehlot and it has reached a crescendo with the Rahul Gandhi-led yatra all set to enter the state in the first week of December.
In the past couple of days, there have been rumours about Pilot camp stepping up campaign against Gehlot. A Gujjar leader Vijay Bhainsala, who is the son of late Kirori Lal Bhainsala, has said that if Pilot, who also belongs to the same community, is not made the Chief Minister, then the yatra will not be allowed in the state.
Pilot camp attributed it to be a ploy of Gehlot to use a Gujjar leader to make such a statement while the Gehlot camp highlighted that the opponents were trying to create further trouble, a year ahead of Assembly elections.
As the Pilot camp shared Thursday's photo of their leader with Rahul and Priyanka, Gehlot told NDTV, "the MLAs will never accept someone who has revolted and has been dubbed as a 'gaddar'. How can he become the Chief Minister? How can the MLAs accept such a person as the Chief Minister? I have proof that Rs 10 crore each was distributed to the MLAs holed up in a Gurugram resort for toppling the Congress government in Rajasthan."
To a question whether Pilot can replace him if the central leadership decides so, he said it is a hypothetical question and added, "how will that happen? That cannot happen."
Gehlot went on to remind Pilot's 2020 rebellion when he was negotiating with the BJP and alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was involved in the plot when Pilot took some of his loyalist MLAs to Gurugram hotel for over a month. Gehlot claimed he had proof of Rs 10 crore given to each MLAs who went with Pilot.
"Till now, he has not apologised. If he had apologised, I would not have had to apologise," he said referring to his apology to the then party chief Sonia Gandhi last month after a Congress Legislature Party meeting could not be convened.
Pilot camp is miffed at the central leadership, which is on a go-slow attitude even after miffed General Secretary Ajay Maken refused to take back his resignation as party in-charge in the state.
The leadership feared that any decision on changing Gehlot at this juncture would trigger infighting in the Rajasthan unit, especially at a time the ambitious Bharat Jodo Yatra will enter the state in the first week of December.