Congress summons Gehlot, Pilot to defuse power confrontation

Against the backdrop of the political tensions in Rajasthan, the Congress High Command called for separate meetings with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot. The meetings took place in the national capital on Monday and were held with the party president, Mallikarjuna Kharge.
Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot have been involved in a power struggle within the Congress party since 2020. Recently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders convened at the Congress headquarters to hold a meeting with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president, expressed that the meeting would focus on discussing and determining the best course of action in the party›s interests.
On 30 May, a delegation led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will meet with President Droupadi Murmu to discuss the situation in the state. This meeting comes after former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Sachin Pilot issued an ultimatum to the Congress-led government in Rajasthan. Sachin Pilot demanded an investigation into the alleged paper leak scam that occurred during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) administration in the state.
Speaking to reporters, Gehlot said there is no tradition in the party to offer posts to any leader in order to pacify him. “As far as I know, there is no such tradition in the Congress where any leader demands something and the party high command offers to give that position. We have not heard of such a formula ever,” he said when asked about reports of a formula being worked out to rope in Pilot. Rubbishing such reports, he said, is only the creation of the media, and some leaders may be planting such stories.
“The Congress party is strong, and there is such a position that the high command offers to give any post to any leader to pacify any leader,” he said. “Never has such a thing happened in Congress so far, and neither will it happen in the future. The Congress party and the high command are very strong, and no leader or worker has the courage to demand any position. It does not happen like that,” the chief minister asserted.
The upcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan, scheduled to be held later this year, hold significant importance for the Congress party as they seek another term in power. Winning the assembly elections would not only secure their position in the state but also provide them with momentum and confidence leading up to the crucial Lok Sabha polls in 2024. The Congress party will likely focus its efforts on consolidating its support base, addressing key issues, and presenting a strong electoral campaign to win the trust of the voters and secure victory in both the assembly and national elections.