New Delhi: Senior Congress politician Sachin Pilot arrived in Delhi today, purportedly to meet with the party leadership, after defying the leadership of his party by staging a public protest against the party-led government in Rajasthan. Although there are no current plans for him to meet with top party leaders, this prospect has not been completely disregarded by party sources.
The Congress issued a harsh warning after Sachin Pilot went on a fast on Tuesday to pressure the Ashok Gehlot government to take action against corruption. The Congress claimed that any such action on his behalf would constitute anti-party activity, NDTV reported.
Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister, has summoned a press conference today after remaining silent until now.
Sachin Pilot began his one-day fast in Jaipur on Tuesday with supporters aimed at his party rival Ashok Gehlot, whom he claims of failing to take action on allegations against the BJP's Vasundhara Raje, in front of a backdrop bereft of the Congress name or symbol.
"We had assured people that effective action will be taken against corruption by the former BJP government. I wanted the Congress government to take action but it has not happened in over four years," he said.
"This struggle against corruption will continue," he added.
Moments after he began his protest, Ashok Gehlot posted a video in which he listed his government's welfare policies, attempting to project himself as a "pro-poor, common man's Chief Minister".
"Rajasthan will be No. 1 by 2029," he said, declaring price rise as an election issue.
As it gets ready for elections in one of the few states it controls, the Congress has been severely embarrassed by the public squabbles between the two leaders in Rajasthan.
Even while the Congress leadership has purposefully avoided a confrontation or taking any action against the Sachin Pilot, it now appears that Mr Gehlot has their support—at least for the time being.
"Sachin Pilot's day-long fast on Tuesday is against the party interests and is anti-party activity. If there is any issue with his own government, it can be discussed in the party forums instead of in the media and public," the Congress's Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had said in a statement on Monday.
"I have been an AICC in charge for the last five months and Pilot Ji has never discussed this issue with me. I am in touch with him and I still appeal for calm dialogue since he is an indisputable asset to the Congress party," Mr Randhawa said.
It is believed that Sachin Pilot's most recent altercation with the CM was an effort to exert pressure on the Congress leadership to decide who would represent the party more prominently in Rajasthan.