AS THE Ashok Gehlot versus Sachin Pilot tussle drags on in the Rajasthan Congress, the BJP believes it stands to gain from all probable outcomes of the fight. Even former BJP chief minister Vasundhara Raje, around whom Pilot has chosen to mount his latest challenge to Gehlot, will not be particularly affected. The large anti-Raje camp in the BJP may have hoped for some gains from Pilot's allegations, but the Karnataka loss means the party will be wary of acting against its most popular leader in Rajasthan. There are essentially three perspectives in the BJP regarding the Pilot affair, depending on where you stand – with the camp of Union Minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, with Raje, or on the side of a BJP worker who is a member of neither camp. BJP insiders admit the Shekhawat camp was only too delighted with Pilot’s allegations, “exposing the nexus between Raje and Gehlot”. Both Shekhawat and Raje are angling for CM post if the BJP returns to power in the coming elections, and any taint on Raje – who anyway has few friends in the high command – makes Shekhawat's case stronger. Pilot has accused the Gehlot government of dragging its feet over corruption charges going back to Raje’s tenures as CM, hinted that the Congress CM was hand-in-glove with his BJP predecessor, and threatened an agitation by the end of the month if Gehlot didn't make amends. Gehlot has joined this game of one upmanship by proclaiming that when Pilot mounted the rebellion against him in 2020, it was Raje who had taken a principled stand against MLAs being “bought” by the BJP and helped save his government. Characteristically, the old warhorse managed to hit two birds with one stone – reminding people about Pilot's “betrayal”, and weakening the case of Raje, the prime obstacle in his return to power. As for Gehlot “not acting against Raje”, the CM's camp says that it is curious that Pilot is silent on the allegations against Shekhawat, particularly over the Sanjivani scam, and suggests that this is because Pilot is working with the BJP to weaken the Congress. After Pilot had finished his Jan Sangharsh Yatra, with issues concerning youth and cases against Raje the highlight, Shekhawat shared visuals from Pilot's rally to attack the Congress and Gehlot, without naming him. Gehlot camp MLA Chetan Dudi took note of this, saying: “There is the Sanjivani scam in which lakhs of people's homes were robbed, but at the rally, the name of the main accused of the scam was not even taken, and after the rally, the main accused tweeted in praise of Pilot.” Dudi also alleged an understanding between Pilot and Shekhawat since the time of his rebellion against Gehlot. As per a BJP leader, Shekhawat does not mind the attention. “These attacks have raised Shekhawat’s profile, which is good news for him as his graph had fallen some time back.” Meanwhile, the Karnataka results have blunted any impact the allegations might have had on Raje. The decision of the BJP leadership to sideline its four-term Karnataka CM and most popular leader in the state, B S Yediyurappa, and his aides is believed to have cost the party dearly in the Assembly polls. In Rajasthan, Raje is the warhorse the BJP would do well not to alienate. Even if it does not impact the BJP internal dynamics, the intra-Congress tussle leaves bad optics for the ruling party and hence helps the BJP ahead of the elections. Given the bad blood between the two Congress stalwarts, chances of a solution look bleaker by the day. An upheaval would go to the BJP's advantage, but a status quo would not hurt either, as the BJP would then expect to cash in on the anti-incumbency against the Congress government. Charges being thrown about between the two Congress camps in the tussle – such as a Pilot camp minister, Rajendra Gudha, alleging that corruption in Rajasthan was more than in Karnataka – will come in handy for the BJP. Some sections in the BJP, though, strike a note of caution. According to them, as Pilot's last-ditch defiance fizzles out – as it seems to be heading for – it would only bolster Gehlot's position and confidence. They point to his warning that some Congress MLAs may be denied tickets for the polls. “If Gehlot does drop most MLAs, it will make an impact,” a party leader said, also citing his recently launched Mehangai Rahat Camps as the mark of a decisive leader making confident moves. Former BJP state president Satish Poonia said the party, “first and foremost”, believes in its own abilities, strengths and policies. “Along with this, the party has Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and leadership, which influences people down to the booth level.” A weakened, divided opposition, though, does help, Poonia added. "It seems the Congress hopes that Pilot will leave the party, while Pilot hopes the party will expel him.”
