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Journalism of Courage
When Rahul Gandhi stopped to chat with Congress worker Chhuttan Lal Meena during his trip to Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur on Sunday, he candidly asked Meena what kind of leadership he wants in the party. Meena wasted no time in answering with “Sachin Pilot”, adding that the Tonk MLA and former Rajasthan Congress president should be handed over the party’s reins in the state.
“He asked what kind of a leader we want in Rajasthan to strengthen the organisation. I frankly said we want youth and Sachin Pilot is a leader who is the leader of all 36 quam (communities),” said Meena, who is the Congress block president for Sherpur Khilchipur, adding that Gandhi responded “with a smile”.
“Till the time Sachin Pilot isn’t handed the reins, Congress won’t re-emerge in Rajasthan. Ashok Gehlot ji is also good, but he has been the Chief Minister twice. He didn’t pay attention to the organisation and only MLAs have flourished under him — and I say it with a clean heart — the party has suffered because of it,” Meena told The Indian Express.
“Since he had spoken about the organisation at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting in Gujarat, I was telling him about the organisation and thanking him for talking about empowering district presidents. I told him that prioritising the small-time party workers will be beneficial for the party, and about the way things are in eastern Rajasthan,” Meena said.
Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was in Ranthambore on a personal visit from April 11 to 13, and Meena met him on his second and third days. Like other eastern Rajasthan districts, Pilot holds influence in Sawai Madhopur. In the previous Congress government, Sawai Madhopur MLA Danish Abrar was considered a Pilot camp MLA before he switched sides during Pilot’s 2020 rebellion against Gehlot. Abrar eventually lost to BJP’s Kirodi Lal Meena in the 2023 Assembly elections and in July 2024, publicly accepted his “mistake” at a rally and led the people in chanting “Sachin Pilot zindabad”.
