Gehlot want to settle Rajasthan crisis

Jaipur: A day after MLAs from Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's camp expressed their annoyance over the induction of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and his rebel MLAs back into the Congress, Gehlot on Wednesday sought to put a lid on the crisis.

Gehlot said, "It is natural for our MLAs to get upset. The way the entire situation emerged and the way they (Pilot camp MLAs) stayed out of the state for over a month, it was natural for these MLAs to react. However, I have explained to them that sometimes we need to be tolerant if we have the task to serve the nation, the state, the people and democracy as well."

The Chief Minister said, "Our friends who had left are now back. I hope we will resolve all our differences and fulfil our commitment to serve the state," he said.

Gehlot's loyalists had strongly objected to the Pilot camp's return during the CLP meeting held in Jaisalmer on Tuesday night.

Gehlot left Jaipur to reach Jaisalmer where his MLAs were camping on Tuesday afternoon, while Pilot arrived in Jaipur via road from Delhi the same evening and was given a rousing welcome by his supporters.

The MLAs from the Gehlot camp said that the rebels should neither get a place in the government nor in the party despite the agreement reached between the Pilot faction and the Congress high command.

However, Gehlot said that as they have a big task of saving democracy so they will have to lend their ears to all. Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the rebel MLAs have returned without any terms and conditions. "If someone comes to our door, we can never refuse them entry," he said.

On Tuesday, Gehlot, after the meeting between Pilot and Rahul Gandhi, had said, "I will try to win the hearts of those MLAs who were annoyed with me."

Meanwhile, Pilot said that Gehlot is elder to him and hence he respects him, however added that he has a right to raise work-related issues.