Congress: After Punjab, Dissidence In Rajasthan
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-06-09 01:53:32
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
Even before the dissidence issue in Punjab has been solved, the Congress faces a renewal of dissidence in Rajasthan. It is reported that 10 months after his revolt was papered over, Sachin Pilot has once again shown his displeasure at the state of affairs in the state and the fact that promises made to him by the high command then have not been kept. The first salvo in the current fight between the rebels and chief minister Ashok Gehlot was fired a few days back when Hemaram Choudhary, an MLA close to Pilot, resigned from the Assembly.
Pilot is peeved that the committee (comprising Ahmad Patel, Ajay Maken and K C Venugopal) formed to resolve issues had not talked to MLAs on one-to-one basis. He says he waited for 6 months after the death of Ahmad Patel but now that half the term of the Assembly has passed, he wants a resolution fast. He has made it known to the party high command that MLAs supporting him are being targeted once again by the Gehlot camp while issues that he raised 10 months back are yet to be resolved. He has given the Congress high command one month before deciding on the next course of action.
Sachin Pilot lost out heavily after his revolt. He was neither reinstated as the deputy chief minister nor as the PCC president. In fact, he was not given any post. It was understood at that time that the panel formed to resolve issues would decide what was to be done. Pilot had decided to call truce just on the assurance of the Gandhis. But with nothing happening in these 10 months and with Gehlot once again flexing his muscles, Pilot has upped the ante. Maybe, this time he will take the fight to the finish.
The Congress high command has a habit of brushing issues and problems under the carpet. But it seems that in both Rajasthan and Punjab, it will have to take some hard decisions to prevent a mess. Both Gehlot and Amarinder Singh are loyalists of the Gandhi family. They are being challenged by ambitious younger leaders. It is time for the high command to broker a permanent truce. Short term solutions will not do.
