Published 17:00 IST, July 12th 2020
Sachin Pilot to meet Rahul Gandhi, demand for plum portfolio in Rajasthan likely: Sources
As per sources, Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot is likely to meet former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at about 5.30 pm on Sunday in the national capital
Update at 6.05 pm: No meeting is scheduled between Sachin Pilot and Rahul Gandhi at the latter's residence.
As per sources, Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot is likely to meet former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at about 5.30 pm on Sunday in the national capital. He might have a conversation with party president Sonia Gandhi as well. This comes after Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal submitted a report to Rahul Gandhi in which he reportedly disapproved of the police notice being sent to Pilot.
Sources reveal that Pilot loyalists want him to remain the state Congress chief and get a plum portfolio in the Ashok Gehlot-led government. This is expected to be discussed in the meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Earlier in the day, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot downplayed the notice issued by the state police's Special Operations Group (SOG) to Deputy CM Sachin Pilot on July 10. Gehlot stated that the notices were issued not just to Pilot but also multiple MLAs including himself in connection with the alleged involvement of BJP leaders for toppling the state government. Moreover, he clarified that they were being called to merely record their statement.
Fissures between Gehlot and Pilot deepen
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP of seeking to topple his government amid the COVID-19 crisis. He claimed that Congress MLAs and Independent legislators were being offered up to Rs.25 lakh each to switch sides on the lines of the recent pattern in Madhya Pradesh. However, BJP refuted this allegation, highlighting that there was infighting among the Congress ranks. Incidentally, Pilot too had denied that his party MLAs were lured after the Congress won two out of the three Rajya Sabha seats in June.
But, Pilot’s departure to Delhi with some of his supporting legislators on Saturday set off alarm bells in the Congress camp. As per sources, he had a one-to-one meeting with senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, where he listed a long list of grievances. Some of the MLAs from the Pilot camp are believed to be lodged at Gurugram as well. Additionally, sources revealed that Pilot had sought a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of the step-motherly treatment being meted out to his faction. Meanwhile, Gehlot has summoned a meeting of all Ministers and Congress MLAs on Sunday night in Jaipur.
Updated 18:07 IST, July 12th 2020