oppn parties Rajasthan: Congress Has A Crisis At Hand

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Delhi HC refuses to ban CJP's Tiranga rally at Central Park in Connaught Place today /////// Police says will control and regulate it /////// NDMC closes the park for the public on Friday and Saturday
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Rajasthan: Congress Has A Crisis At Hand

By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2023-04-12 07:59:40

The Congress has lost face in the Sachin Pilot fast affair in Rajasthan. Late on April 10, it issued a stern warning to Pilot that holding the fast would be viewed as 'anti-party activity' but he went ahead with the event with despite the warning. Pilot and his supporters sat on a fast from 10am to 4 pm on Tuesday at Jaipur's Shaheed Smarak. The Congress party had put out that party spokesman Jairam Ramesh would issue a statement on the Rajasthan issue on Tuesday but that did not happen. Obviously, the party backed out as it knew it would muddle the waters further. Pilot's defiance, although less offensive as he did not issue any statements against Gehlot from the platform, has put the party in a difficult position as it would now be more difficult to bring peace between him and Gehlot.

Political circles expect Pilot to meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Obviously he will be asked to explain why he defied the party warning to hold the fast. Party in-charge for Rajasthan, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is to visit Jaipur on Wednesday and is likely to hold talks with all sides. But it is clear that the public spectacle has caused loss of image for the party and Gehlot will demand action against Pilot despite Pliot not going on the offensive during the fast. Randhawa said that Pilot raising this issue was surprising as he had not raised it with him in the five months he has been state in-charge.  Calling Pilot an indisputable asset for the party, Randhawa said he is in touch with Pilot and has appealed to him to remain calm.

With Pilot having toned down his offensive somewhat, the party has an opening. But it remains to be seen if Gehlot can be brought around after Pilot's open defiance in holding the fast. It is clear that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will have to intervene in bringing peace between the warring regional satraps. It is also clear that this time Pilot is not going to be mollified easily. He will be satisfied only if something concrete is offered to him. Otherwise, political circles in Jaipur say that he might float his own political outfit ahead of the polls likely to be held in November this year. 

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