On Pilot's congratulatory message, Rajasthan PCC chief hopes for his return to Cong fold

Responding to Sachin Pilot's tweet on Wednesday, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Dotasra thanked the former for extending his good wishes. Earlier in the day, the former Deputy CM had congratulated Dotasra on taking charge as the state PCC chief. Ironically, the latter succeeded Pilot when he was unceremoniously sacked as the Rajasthan Deputy CM and PCC chief.

Dotasra alleged that Pilot is enjoying the hospitality of BJP and the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government. Thereafter, he expressed hope that the former Deputy CM would return to Jaipur and extend solidarity with the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government. According to the PCC chief, such a move would maintain the respect of Congress workers whose hard work led to the formation of the state government. 

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Speaker Moves SC; Governor Approves Assembly Session

Legal battle over disqualification notice

Pilot’s departure to Delhi with some of his supporting legislators on July 11 set off alarm bells in the Congress camp. The rift between CM Ashok Gehlot and him widened after the legislators belonging to his camp skipped two Legislative Party meetings. On July 24, a division bench of the Rajasthan HC comprising Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Prakash Gupta ordered a "status quo" on the Assembly Speaker's notices issued to sacked Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs.

This implies that the Speaker cannot take any coercive action against the Pilot camp until the HC concludes hearing the matter. Also, the Centre has been impleaded in the matter. In a latest development, Speaker CP Joshi has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Rajasthan HC order. 

Pilot camp expects support from more MLAs

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Hemaram Choudhary rejected party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala's claim that three MLAs of the Sachin Pilot camp would return to CM Ashok Gehlot's faction. Choudhary - one of the 19 Pilot camp legislators asserted that none of them shall switch over to the other side. According to him, Surjewala was giving such statements to assuage the dejected MLAs holed up in Fairmont Hotel. Choudhary added that 10-15 of the Gehlot camp MLAs were in touch with them and could join forces on being "set free" from the hotel. 

Read: Rajasthan: COVID-19 Death Toll Rises To 654 With 10 New Fatalities; Tally Of Cases 39,780