Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot will arrive in Delhi on Wednesday, a day after fasting despite the Congress leadership’s warning.
Pilot, who protested against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, will most likely meet with party president Mallikarjun Kharge. As the state Assembly elections approach, senior party leaders are likely to hear Pilot’s side of the story before making their next move. It is also unclear whether Pilot will meet Rahul Gandhi, who will return from Wayanad with AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and organisation general secretary K C Venugopal on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Gehlot has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday.
Despite his silence since Pilot announced the strike on Sunday, the chief minister posted a video in which he lists his government’s welfare policies, portraying himself as a “pro-poor, common man’s chief minister.” “Rajasthan will be number one by 2029,” Gehlot predicted. He also made price increases an election issue. The video was shared separately by the Congress party’s official Twitter account.
Many believe the video hinted at Gehlot’s intention to run for chief minister again, and Pilot’s fast was an obvious attempt to derail this in the run-up to the election.
There are also rumours that Pilot intended to leave the party. Meanwhile, Pilot has been urged to form a new party and has expressed interest in forming an alliance with him for the Assembly elections. RLP chief Hanuman Beniwal has stated that he is willing to work with any party to defeat the Congress and the BJP. “I have previously suggested that if Sachin Pilot forms his party, then RLP is ready for an election alliance,” Beniwal told reporters.