Sachin Pilot takes a veiled dig at Gehlot as party announces end of crisis in Rajasthan

Just a few days ahead of the commencement of Assembly Session in Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot is back in Congress party after a nod was given to constitute a three-member AICC committee to resolve the issues of rebel leaders with the indications of a possible breakthrough among party leaders started emerging. Reacting to his return, Pilot said that the issues were ideological and it was important to raise them.

New Delhi: In a veiled dig at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on a day the Congress announced that crisis plaguing its government in the state had ended, party leader Sachin Pilot said that he was "surprised by a few things that were said" and noted that there is no place for personal malice in politics.

Pilot, who attended a meeting here in which Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal were present, said he discussed in detail his grievances concerning the working of state government with former party president Rahul Gandhi.

Pilot said he thinks there is no place of personal malice in politics.

"Several things were said, I heard a lot of things. I was surprised by a few things that were said. I think we should always maintain restraint and humility. There is no place for personal malice in politics. We had formed government in Rajasthan after five years of hard work," Pilot said.

Pilot was apparently referring to remarks in which Gehlot had described him as "nikamma" (useless) and "nakara" (incompetent) and accused him of conspiring with the BJP for the past six months to topple the government in the state.

"In the past seven years, you won't find anyone in the party who demanded the removal of Pilot as PCC president even though we knew he was useless, good for nothing and that he wasn't doing anything except making people fight among themselves)," Gehlot had told reporters last month as his government faced a crisis led by Pilot who had the backing of 18 MLAs.

Pilot, who was last month removed as Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress chief, told reporters that he put forward the views of fellow legislators and has been assured that a three-member committee will resolve all these issues soon.

"I am happy that Congress president and former president Rahul Gandhi discussed in detail. We put forward the views of fellow legislators. I have been assured that a three-member committee will resolve all these issues soon," he told reporters.

Pilot said all those issues were essential in the party's interest and were based on principle.

"Since the past some time some MLAs were in Delhi, there were some issues which we wanted to highlight. I did that. I'd been saying since the beginning that all these things were based on principle. I always thought these things are essential to be raised in party's interest," Pilot said.

He said the promises which were made by the government and party are very important to keep.

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"Sonia Gandhiji heard all our concerns and the governance issues that we raised. Formation of the three-member committee by the Congress president is a welcome step. I think all the issues will be resolved as the promises which were made by the government and party are very important to keep," Pilot said.

Earlier Venugopal announced the end of crisis and said both Pilot and Gehlot were happy. He said in a statement that Pilot had "committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan" and "a three-member committee" will be formed to address the issues raised by Pilot and "the aggrieved" MLAs.

(ANI)