NEW DELHI: The Congress has termed Sachin Pilot as an asset to the party, but almost a year after Pilot revolted against chief minister Ashok Gehlot along with his MLAs and subsequent return after intervention from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, no issue has been resolved yet and the ministers sacked at that time had not been rehabilitated. The supporters of the former deputy chief minister have been putting pressure on the party to listen to their grievances.
Sources say Kamal Nath has been roped in to resolve the issue, as he is a senior party leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister. He is expected to prevail upon the Rajasthan chief minister to expand the council of ministers and appoint political leaders in Boards and Corporations as almost half the tenure of the Gehlot government is over.
The importance of Sachin Pilot lies in the statement of Ajay Maken, the Congress general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan, who on Friday said, "Priyanka Gandhiji and I have spoken to Sachin Pilotji. As he is senior leader of the party and an asset, so it's impossible that if he seeks appointment and he will be denied. K.C. Venugopal has also spoken to him."
He also said that he is an asset and party leadership is in touch with him and dispelled rumours that 'no leader was engaging with Pilot', as he was in Delhi but did not meet anyone. Maken clarified that Priyanka Gandhi is out of Delhi from the last week.
Maken had said last week, "Vacant positions in the cabinet, boards and commissions would be filled soon and we are in talks with all." Pilot has raked up the issue of non-resolution of commitments made to him.
"It has now been 10 months. I was given to understand that there would be swift action by the committee, but now half of the term is gone, and those issues haven't been resolved. It is unfortunate that so many of the party workers gave their all for getting us the mandate, are not being heard," Pilot had said.
However, the issue is not with the Congress high command but the chief minister who is not willing to give space to the leaders and MLAs close to Pilot.
There is twist in the politics of the state after Sachin Pilot camp sought fulfilment of their demands for political and ministerial appointments. The BSP MLAs, who joined the Congress around two years ago, on Monday, also demanded their "due reward" for saving the Rajasthan government after last year's rebellion, contending that had they not been there, the Ashok Gehlot dispensation would have been observing "its first death anniversary". These MLAs have shown faith in Gehlot leaving again the party guessing about next move of the chief minister.
But sources within the Congress say that Sonia Gandhi wants resolution of issues in the state but do not want it at the cost of Gehlot but she wants minor and fine adjustments so that she may intervene at opportune time.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot triggered speculation after he went to "political quarantine" and will not have any one-on-one meetings in person for next one or two months, keeping in mind the post Covid precautions suggested by his doctors, his office announced on Monday.
As per the message from the media cell: "The chief minister after getting infected with Covid, has been unable to meet anyone in person on the advice of doctors in the wake of post Covid repercussions. This has delayed again the expansion in the state and its testing Pilot's patience after two of his peer group joined BJP, the question lies what's behind Pilot's silence - a tsunami for Congress? (IANS)
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