Published 13:07 IST, July 16th 2020
Kapil Sibal rebounds from being worried for Congress; won't buy Pilot's 'not joining BJP'
As Sachin Pilot said that he will not join BJP, Congress' Kapil Sibal has asked why are MLAs holed up in Haryana's hotel & when will 'ghar wapsi' happen
The Rajasthan political crisis is far from over, with Sachin Pilot's delay in revealing his plans and Ashok Gehlot's and Congress' high commands' refusal to look into the internal functioning of the party. Even as the crisis deepens with Pilot stating that he won't join BJP, and Congress' olive branch to him amid allegations of horse-trading and betrayal, senior party leader Kapil Sibal has asked when will 'ghar wapsi' happen.
Taunting on Pilot's statement regarding BJP, taking to Twitter on Thursday, Sibal said that if Pilot is speaking the truth about not joining BJP, why are MLAs who support him are holed up in 'Haryana's comfort zone under BJP's watchful eye.' A day earlier, Surjewala had also said that Pilot should pull out his MLAs from 'BJP's trap' and return to the 'safety of home in Jaipur.'
Congress sacks Sachin Pilot
As Sachin Pilot skipped the second legislative party meeting on July 14, Ashok Gehlot's camp passed a resolution against Pilot and loyalists. Addressing the press, Gehlot said that Pilot is playing in the hands of BJP and accused the saffron party of horse-trading. Thereafter, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a press briefing announced that party has sacked Sachin Pilot from the post of Deputy CM and PCC chief and accused him of conspiring with BJP.
However, Congress leaders such as Sanjay Jha (who was later suspended), Jitin Prasada, Priya Dutt and several party functionaries in the Rajasthan unit of the party openly supported Pilot. Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday extended olive branch to Sachin Pilot and other dissident MLAs by asking them to return to Jaipur while also telling them to prove their loyalty towards Congress by leaving the hotels in BJP-ruled Haryana.
Earlier, even Kapil Sibal had questioned his own party:
Sachin Pilot speaks up
A day after being sacked, Sachin Pilot on Wednesday said that he is not joining BJP or any other party, adding that he has been a loyalist of the Congress. The 'rebel' leader said that he won't remain silent anymore and is considering legal options to fight CM Gehlot whom he has accused of "doing wrong things & maligning his image." While he denied meeting Jyotiraditya Scindia or any BJP leaders, he also said that within Congress he has only spoken to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Updated 13:07 IST, July 16th 2020