Congress MLA says Sachin Pilot has 'well-wishers' in Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's camp

Amid the ongoing tussle in Rajasthan politics, a Congress MLA from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's camp claimed that former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot has more "well-wishers" than he thinks. Even as MLA Prashant Bairwa said that he is loyal to CM Gehlot, he added that  "40 to 45" MLAs supported Pilot, adding that it would have been better if had he taken advice from people like him. Bairwa was once considered a Sachin Pilot loyalist. 

The Congress MLA spoke to a news channel when he came out of Jaisalmer's Suryagarh hotel - where MLAs supporting Ashok Gehlot have been holed up - for a health check-up. However, he repeated Gehlot camp's allegations that the BJP is involved in the crisis in the state. 

"Sachin Pilot had a big team; he had no idea. It would have been better had he taken advice from people like us and then, I believe, the number there could have been 40 or 45, not 19. But he did not take advice from us. I think somebody else was playing the game," he added. Mistakes can made by anyone, he said, adding that it is possible that they (dissident) want to come back but are not being allowed.

"He has his well-wishers here also but it does not mean that we will not vote for the Congress. We will 100 percent vote for the Congress," the MLA said hinting at the impending floor test.

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Congress shift MLAs to Jaisalmer

Ahead of Assembly session on August 14, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has moved MLAs supporting him to Hotel Suryagarh in Jaisalmer, alleging horse-trading attempts by BJP.  Stressing that the Congress MLAs were being harassed mentally in Jaipur, he expressed hope that the pressure will be less in Jaisalmer.  Meanwhile, his SOG will move the High Court to take the voice sample of Sanjay Jain - who is one of the three accused arrested in connection to the 'leaked tapes' of MLAs discussing a plot to topple the state government. On Friday, Jain was produced before a local court where he refused to give his voice sample.

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Search for MLAs from Pilot camp

The state police's SOG group is still hunting for Sachin Pilot camp MLAs on the alleged 'horse-trading' probe and on Wednesday they visited Best Western hotel. The team which visited two hotels - Heritage Village Hotel and Best Western Resort in Haryana's Manesar on July 23, was told that no MLAs were there as the premises were allegedly being used as a COVID facility. All 18 MLAs and Pilot are reportedly in Delhi and Haryana.

Gehlot hints at truce with Pilot 

Earlier, hinting at a breakthrough between Congress and miffed former Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, CM Ashok Gehlot said that he would be willing to forgive Pilot and the 18 rebel MLAs if the party's high command decides to the same, while talking to reporters in Jaisalmer. Affirming that he has been a 3-time CM and a former Union Minister, he said that he served for the public. He also commented that Rajasthan BJP leaders were attempting to compete with ex-CM Vasundhara Raje.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has hinted at a breakthrough between former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and CM Ashok Gehlot camp. He said that Pilot and MLAs in his camp should give away the 'hospitality' of the BJP and then there can be talks between them and the party. Speaking to ANI, Randeep Surjewala said, "The Congress MLAs who are staying at the resort in Manesar should shun the hospitality and police security of the BJP govt in Haryana and return to the party, then we can hold talks."

(with PTI inputs)

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