Congress leader Sachin Pilot slammed Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday, saying his speech in Dholpur demonstrated that his leader “is not Sonia Gandhi but Vasundhara Raje Scindia”. Gehlot claimed that Vasundhara Raje was one of the BJP leaders who assisted him in saving his government during the 2020 revolt by Pilot and some Congress MLAs seeking a change in state leadership.
Pilot also stated at a press conference that he now understands why Gehlot “has not acted” on his allegations of corruption during the state’s BJP government.
“After listening to Ashok Gehlot’s speech in Dholpur, it seems like his leader is not Sonia Gandhi but Vasundhara Raje Scindia… For the first time, I am seeing someone criticize MPs and MLAs of their own party. Praising leaders from BJP and dishonouring Congress leaders is beyond my understanding, this is absolutely wrong,” Pilot said.
“I have now understood why the CM (Ashok Gehlot) has not acted against corruption,” he added.
Pilot’s attack is an escalation of his feud with Gehlot in a crucial state that will go to the polls by the end of the year. The attack on Gehlot came just one day before voting in Karnataka, where the Congress is fighting a crucial battle. Pilot, a former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister, has announced a five-day ‘Jan Sangarsh Yatra’ from Ajmer to Jaipur beginning May 11.
“This yatra is against corruption. Any further decision will be taken after this yatra,” he said.
Pilot fasted for a day last month, despite party leadership’s warnings, over his demand for action by the Gehlot government for alleged corruption during the BJP’s rule in the state.
Vasundhara Raje, a BJP leader, responded to Ashok Gehlot’s claims, saying the Rajasthan Chief Minister is lying out of fear of losing the 2023 Assembly elections, and his false allegations show he is rattled by the state Congress unit’s rebellion.
Gehlot had thanked Vasundhara Raje and two other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for their assistance in saving his government during the 2020 crisis when some Congress MLAs revolted.
“Gehlot’s statement against me is a conspiracy. Nobody can insult me as much as Gehlot has done. He is lying out of fear of losing the 2023 Assembly elections and has made such false allegations as he is rattled by the rebellion in his own party,” Raje had said.
On Sunday, Gehlot claimed that there was a conspiracy against his government while speaking at a programme in Dholpur.
“Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Shobha Rani, and Kailash Meghwal knew their party people were toppling the government. Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Kailash Meghwal had said that it has never been our tradition to topple the elected government on the basis of money. They did not support those who toppled the government due to which our government survived,” Gehlot had said.
Pilot and Gehlot have previously exchanged barbs, prompting the party’s leadership to step in.
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