Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday formed a three-member committee to look into the issues raised by former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. The panel was formed after the rebel leader met former party chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi in Delhi.
The members of the panel include Priyanka Gandhi, Rajya Sabha MP K.C. Venugopal and party treasurer Ahmed Patel. Pilot also had a meeting with them at party's 15 GRG Road war room late in the evening.
Talking to reporters, Pilot said he had been given assurance that the issues he had raised would be resolved. He, however, added that he was not hungry for any post.
"Several things were said, I heard a lot of things. I was surprised by a few things that were said. I think we should always maintain restraint and humility. There is no place for personal malice in politics. We had formed government in Rajasthan after five years of hard work," he said.
Pilot said the formation of the three-member committee by the Congress president is a welcome step. "I think all the issues will be resolved," he added.
Pilot and 18 other MLAs have rebelled against the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan, leading to Pilot's sacking as deputy chief minister and state party chief.
Now the indications of reconciliation came ahead of the crucial assembly session scheduled to begin on August 14.
The Congress had a total of 107 MLAs in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly. This includes six MLAs who were previously with the BSP. Pilot and other rebel MLAs would face disqualification in case they defied the Congress whip on the floor of the house.
With Ashok Gehlot firmly holding on to the remaining MLAs, top leadership are positive of resolving the rebellion raised against the state chief minister.
There was a sign of a reconciliatory effort on the part of the Gehlot government as well as the charges of sedition were withdrawn against the rebels in connection with the case pertaining to alleged attempts being made to buy MLAs and topple the government.
The chief minister also interestingly made a statement that he would welcome back the rebels if the party high command forgave them, which was seen as a huge climbdown from his allegations against Pilot that he was working in collusion with the BJP and was personally involved in horse-trading. However, Gehlot's supporting MLAs have demanded action against Pilot and the other rebel MLAs, saying the party high command needs to send across a strong message against any attempts to blackmail the leadership.
