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Journalism of Courage
Even as Congress leader Sachin Pilot escalated the attack on his rival and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday, saying that he feels Gehlot’s leader is not Sonia Gandhi but BJP leader Vasundhara Raje, the Congress high command did not react to the comments as it does not want the feud to cast a shadow on the Karnataka elections set to be held on Wednesday. Apart from launching a fusillade at Gehlot, the former Deputy CM also announced a five-day padayatra to highlight the lack of action in corruption cases.
Pilot’s remarks at a press conference in Jaipur came even as senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Mt Abu in Rajasthan to attend a training and interaction session for party workers. Sources said the high command would issue a statement on the simmering tensions in Rajasthan Congress on Wednesday.
Sources in the Pilot camp said he decided to go public after waiting for two days for the high command to clarify its position on Gehlot’s “unprovoked attack”. At an event on Raje’s home turf Dholpur on Sunday, Gehlot thanked his predecessor and two other BJP leaders for not supporting the efforts of a section of the Opposition party’s leadership to topple his government in 2020 by luring away some Congress MLAs. Gehlot’s target was the legislators loyal to Pilot who rebelled against the CM. The CM accused these MLAs of accepting money from the BJP.
“When Pilot announced last month that he would hold a daylong sit-in (in protest against corruption), All India Congress Committee in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa issued a statement at 11 pm telling him that his fast the following day would be an ‘anti-party activity’. Now, two days have passed and there is no reaction from the high command. The question is whether the party leadership agrees with Gehlot or not. There was no rebuke or reaction from the high command. Silence can be interpreted as acceptance,” said a leader close to Pilot.
The leadership signalled that it would break its silence Wednesday. “What stand we take, what we do, what we say will be decided and you will know within today and tomorrow. Twenty-four hours is not a long time. Have patience and don’t jump to conclusions. Whatever it is, will be known to you tomorrow. You always got a response but no instant coffee,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said at a press conference in Delhi.
But, the leadership finds itself in an unenviable position. With just months to go for Assembly elections in Rajasthan, the high command is in no position to accept Pilot’s demands for a leadership change. At the same time, it can no longer ignore the continuing war of words between the two leaders and the flaring-up of tensions every now and then.
