April 23, 2024

Pilot On The Warpath, Ignores High Command Warning

By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2023-04-11 08:28:48

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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.

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At least in two states where elections are scheduled to be held this year - Rajasthan and Karnataka - the Congress party finds factionalism in the state units causing problems and seriously hampering its electoral prospects. The case of Rajasthan is serious as Sachin Pilot, who was given to understand by the party high command that he will get his due in due course, is becoming impatient as less than eight months remain for elections. Pilot held a press conference where he played old videos of chief minister Ashok Gehlot and alleged that Gehlot has taken no action in cases of corruption against the previous BJP regime headed by Vasundhara Raje Scindia. He also alleged that the chief minister did not respond to his two letters on the subject. Pilot is also holding a one-day fast today to highlight the issue despite the high command's stern warning not to do so.

It would not be wrong to say that Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot are sworn enemies who happen to be on the same side of the fence. There is nothing common between them except their membership of the Congress party. The Congress high command, since the time Pilot rebelled and almost broke the state unit in 2020, has tried to keep the two warring state satraps in good humour by promising Pilot that he will be elevated soon. But the Congress trick of elevating Gehlot as national party president and Pilot as state chief minister did not work out as Gehlot refused to agree to Pilot's elevation. Since then, Gehlot has strengthened his grip over the state unit and Pilot is yearning for a fight.

Rajasthan has never voted back the incumbent in decades. But this time Gehlot thinks he can spring a surprise as he has introduced many welfare schemes, including the controversial right to health bill. But if the state unit remains divided, the party will suffer. It seems that the Congress high command is not approaching the Pilot-Gehlot feud with the seriousness it deserves. Both of them are equally important to the party's prospects in the state and the high command has to work diligently and with speed to ensure that Pilot remains in the party. It remains to be seen what step the high command takes after Pilto's show of defiance in going ahead with the fast.