Pilot meets Rahul, Priyanka; discusses Rajasthan politics

There may not be any changes in the Rajasthan power structure, party sources said Friday after former state unit chief Sachin Pilot met Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, writes ETV Bharat's Amit Agnihotri.

New Delhi:There may not be any changes in the Rajasthan power structure, party sources said Friday after former state unit chief Sachin Pilot met Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. However, the sources further said, if Pilot is okay with it, he may be given a key party role at the central level.

“I don’t think there is going to be any changes in Rajasthan. Pilot, of course, deserves a central level post but it is up to him to make that choice,” a senior AICC functionary told ETV Bharat on condition of anonymity. Rajasthan, which will have assembly polls in 2023, has been in the spotlight for the past years due to the factional feuds between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot, who was his deputy earlier.

Pilot, a lawmaker from Tonk, had been deployed as state unit chief by Rahul Gandhi in 2014 and was instrumental in reviving the Congress which came to power in Rajasthan in 2018. He had claimed the chief minister’s post but the high command finally opted for veteran Gehlot, who too had played a significant role behind the Congress victory.

Later, Pilot was made the deputy chief minister and was also allowed to retain the post of state unit chief but there was no peace between the two camps. As a result, a miffed Pilot had led a rebellion of sorts in 2020 and had camped along with his supporting MLAs at a resort in Haryana. Many had feared that he was about to switch to the BJP though Pilot kept denying the charge.

Though the crisis was averted, Gehlot was successful in getting Pilot removed from the two posts and brought in his aide Govind Dotasra as the new state unit chief. At that time, Priyanka had intervened in the matter and convinced Pilot to stay back. He was assured that a panel of senior leaders led by Ajay Maken would look into the issues flagged by Sachin.

Last year, after much delay a reshuffle was done in the Rajasthan cabinet in which several of Pilot’s supporters were given ministerial berths. But a young Pilot did not get the due attention he sought in the state. In Delhi, the doors of both Rahul and Priyanka were always open for him.

All this while the young leader had been demanding a greater say in the party affairs pointing out that those who toiled to bring the Congress back to power must be rewarded to ensure a second run in 2023. The sources said that he may have discussed the various party issues with Rahul and Priyanka, including the ongoing digital membership and district-level teams.

After the party lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and there was talk of a non-Gandhi Congress president, Pilot’s name had been suggested by many leaders. Even if he doesn’t come to Delhi, it is certain that Sachin will be a key player in state politics in the coming days.