Supporters want Pilot to stay in Cong but not compromise with self-respect

Ram Singh Gurjar, 25, Bikram Gurjar, 22 and Rajesh Gurjar, 22, all from Jamwa Ramgharh in Jaipur, said that “Pilot should stay in Congress,” which is also crucial for the party’s prospects in Rajasthan. Rajesh said that if not today, then Pilot “will eventually be rewarded by the party for his hard work.” Ram Singh played down any talks of a possible third front. “Third front hasn’t succeeded in Rajasthan, it just gets 10-12 seats at most.”

Former Nasirabad MLA Ramnarayan Gurjar, 75, said, “At least 55 per cent youth of Rajasthan support Pilot. And he should be respected by the party so that we win elections.” Some others said that sidelining him will cost the party dearly.

Ram Singh, 27, from Khetri in Jhunjhunu, said, “There was a time when Indira Gandhi was side-lined too. But whoever has been side-lined by the party, people have loved them even more.”
He warned that side-lining Pilot further would mean that the party will be reduced to a similar fate “as has happened in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal or Bihar.”

Raju Gurjar, 26, from Nawa in Nagaur, said, “Side-lining him will cost the party dearly. The loss would not just be felt in Rajasthan, but across the country.” Then, there were some who said that respect should be prioritised by Pilot.

Bhairon Singh Gurjar, 22, who came with about 400 supporters from Bamanwas in Sawai Madhopur, said, “Pilot should go where he gets samman (respect).” He said that Congress can return to power in Rajasthan “only if it gives a leadership position to him.”

Balram, 35, from Bundi, praised Pilot for “daring to push political boundaries in Rajasthan.”
He said that “Pilot should fight within the party but if the party mistreats him, the way they have been ignoring him for the last few years, then he should move on.”

“Sachin Pilot is one name which energises people across the state. You should notice that no BJP or Congress MLA speaks against Pilot, because this would immediately mean a loss of at least 5-10 thousand votes, irrespective of the constituency,” he said.

Vishal Gurjar, 23, and Rajesh Bhadana, 22, both from Niwai in Tonk, are hardcore Pilot supporters and on Tuesday, they stood out as they wore a white t-shirt which had a photo of Sachin Pilot and read, ‘Sachin Pilot I love you.’

On future with AAP, Vishal said, “Pilot is a long-time leader. He’s been doing politics long before AAP came around.” He said that ideally, Pilot should be made the Congress state president again and get a say in ticket distribution, “only then will the Congress return to power since he is yuva and dabangg (young and fearless)” but if things don’t go his way, “then he should make his own party, and he will get 70-80 seats easily.”

Kanhaiya Lal, 61, from Pilot’s Assembly constituency of Tonk, said, “He should stay in Congress as his future is in Congress only. But if they – Gehlot, (state president Govind Singh) Dotasra and (AICC Rajasthan in charge Sukhjinder Singh) Randhawa are side-lining him, then we will make it a point to side-line them. The thousands you see gathered here are also voters.”

Mukesh Gurjar, 36, from Malpura in Tonk, said, “if Congress goes with Ashok Gehlot’s leadership, it will get just 12-13 seats in Rajasthan. While if Pilot struggles independently, then he can easily get 40-45 seats on his own, as he is a leader of Rajasthan, not just of the Congress party.”