Gehlot-Pilot Tussle Continues In Rajasthan
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2020-08-21 11:21:06
About the Author
The relations between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his rebellious erstwhile deputy Sachin Pilot have deteriorated to such an extent that not many were fully convinced that a permanent solution had been found when Pilot ended his rebellion and came back to the fold earlier this month. Observers will watch the developments in the state keenly and both Gehlot and Pilot know this well.
Hence it was surprising that Gehlot did not turn up for a programme at the Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters in Jaipur to celebrate the 76th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi even though all security arrangements were in place and he was expected to attend. It set tongues wagging in political circles, more so since Sachin Pilot was in attendance. People started saying that the last-minute cancellation on part of the chief minister was to avoid sharing the stage with his bete noir.
There might have been other reasons for the chief minister to cancel at the last moment. But such is the vitiated atmosphere in the party that people will always assume that the two are avoiding each other. This assumption is strengthened because Gehlot had admitted that the two were not on talking terms since June 2018. It is not known whether the deal the high command sealed with Pilot has reopened the communication lines between him and Gehlot. But going by Gehlot's no-show for the event, it can be assumed that there is still no love lost between the two.
