The opposition Congress in Rajasthan is set to put up a united front as a counter in the face of a series of probes against its leaders instituted by the BJP governments in the state as well as the Centre. On Tuesday, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and state Congress president Sachin Pilot will come together for a joint press conference — their first since the Congress was voted out of power in the 2013 Rajasthan Assembly elections. The two leaders will address the media at the Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, along with — and in defence of — former urban development minister Shanti Dhariwal. On Wednesday, a Congress delegation led by Pilot and Gehlot will meet the Central Vigilance Commissioner in Delhi to push for an independent Central probe into the Raje government’s role in the alleged Rs 45,000-crore mining scam. The mining scam allegations were levelled by Pilot — along with AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala — in Delhi without Gehlot or any other state leader in the picture. However, Wednesday’s delegation will include leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi and several other leaders. Dhariwal was recently called by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for questioning in a high-profile land ‘scam’, amid rumours of his imminent arrest. The move took the state Congress, led by Pilot and Gehlot, by surprise and it slammed the Raje government for resorting to ‘politics of vendetta’ against its leaders.
