Congress deboards Pilot, sacks him as deputy CM

The Congress sacked Sachin Pilot as the deputy chief minister of Rajasthan for his revolt against the party as he skipped the second meeting of MLAs in two consecutive days. Two ministers who joined him in his revolt have also been dropped.

Jaipur: The Congress on Tuesday sacked Sachin Pilot from the posts of Rajasthan's deputy chief minister and the party's state unit chief. Cracking the whip on the rebel party leader, the party also removed his loyalists Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena from the state cabinet.

Speaking to reporters Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said: "High command was compelled to take the decision because since a long time BJP was conspiring and resorting to horse-trading. We knew it was a big conspiracy; now some of our friends went astray because of it and went to Delhi."

After Gehlot met Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur, the Governor has accepted the resignations of all three party members.

"I regret that Sachin Pilot and some of his associates have been swayed by BJP's plot and are now conspiring to topple the Congress government elected by eight crore Rajasthanis. It is unacceptable," Surjewala said.

Soon after Pilot was sacked from the party, he tweeted: "Truth can be troubled but not defeated."

Govind Singh Dotasra has been appointed as the new PCC chief, Surjewala announced.

"Our very experienced and capable worker, who was born in a farmer's family and today he is serving as Rajasthan's Education Minister--Govind Singh Dotasra has been appointed as Rajasthan PCC Chief," said Surjewala.

READ: Rajasthan BJP leaders hold meeting to discuss Congress crisis

"Our fellow MLA Ganesh Gogra is appointed as the new President of Rajasthan Prant Yuva Congress. Hem Singh Shekhawat has been appointed as the President of Rajasthan Pradesh Seva Dal. Congress Policy is not based on people but on policies and principles. Our government is based on the opinion of the people of Rajasthan," he added. Surjewala assured that for the whole five years, the Congress government would serve the people of Rajasthan.

The decision was taken after a CLP meeting at the Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur, Rajasthan earlier today.

At the meeting, as many as 102 MLAs unanimously demanded that Sachin Pilot should be removed from the party, said sources.

During the meeting, all the MLAs stood up and raised their hands showing solidarity to sack Pilot.

The Rajasthan Congress is in turmoil over the past few days. While Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has been camping in Delhi.

Sachin Pilot- Political Timeline

A controversy broke out in Rajasthan after Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG in the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the State.

READ: BTP asks MLAs to be neutral, neither support Gehlot nor Pilot

The Rajasthan political turmoil can be compared to Madhya Pradesh's recent political uproar where the grand old party lost the government to the BJP after Jyotiraditya Scindia switched to BJP along with his supporters following differences with former Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

Surjewala said Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasara will be the new Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief. Surjewala said Sachin Pilot enjoyed the affection and blessings of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and was given political power at a young age.

Yet, he and other ministers were trying to topple the state government as part of a BJP conspiracy, he added. (With agency inputs)