Is trouble brewing again in Rajasthan between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot?
It has not been two months since the two camps of the Rajasthan Congress patched up, and Sachin Pilot’s media manager Lokendra Singh has been booked by Rajasthan police over news reports on tapping of phones of Gehlot camp MLAs staying at a Jaisalmer hotel.
The MLAs had been sequestered by Gehlot in Jaisalmer to shield them from “poaching” by the then rebel Sachin Pilot camp or the BJP during the 35-day political drama in Rajasthan that threatened the Gehlot government.
An FIR has been registered against Sachin Pilot’s media manager, who had been questioned by Rajasthan police, which falls under the direct jurisdiction of Ashok Gehlot, who holds the home portfolio.
It was a police action of summoning Sachin Pilot in July when he was the deputy chief minister in a case of sedition that led to open confrontation between him and Gehlot. Pilot had then headed to Delhi with his loyalist MLAs around two dozen of them.
The political crisis ended after personal intervention by the Gandhis Priyanka Vadra and Rahul in August. Sachin Pilot’s suspension was revoked but he did not get back his deputy CM’s post.
Pilot had then said the central Congress leadership assured him to look into the concerns raised by him. A three-member panel having Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was formed to look into the matter. Reports suggest the issue has not been addressed yet, and tension has been simmering between the two.
This time, Gehlot seems to be upset with internal developments, details of which are not publicly known yet. But while Gehlot seemed to be winning the battle with Pilot in August when the Gandhis intervened, the table might just have turned a little.
Gehlot has missed two key Congress events. He did not attend the party event to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on August 20. Gehlot and Pilot had called ceasefire on August 11. Sachin Pilot attended the event.
The second Rajasthan Congress event that Gehlot skipped and Pilot attended was Gandhi Jayanti earlier this month. With Pilot attending the two events and Gehlot giving it a miss, it is being interpreted as a “snub” to the Gandhis in Delhi.
In between, Pilot supporter, Congress leader Naresh Meena, was arrested last month twice first time for violating quarantine in the Baran district and the second time in Jaipur. Meena was protesting over an alleged illegal gravel mining.
These developments show that trouble is still brewing in Rajasthan Congress and Gehlot versus Pilot fight is far from over.
Also read: Rajasthan crisis explained in 10 point: From Pilot, Gehlot to ED and Malinga
Also read: Supreme Court refuses to stay Rajasthan HC proceedings on Pilot’s petition, defers hearing