Amid voices of discontentment in the Rajasthan Congress getting louder with regard to the functioning of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his bete noire and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot arrived in the national capital last evening, giving rise to speculation about the next steps of the central leadership of the party in resolving the situation.
After former union minister Jitin Prasada's exit from the party, the focus is now on Pilot, another prominent leader identified with the Rahul Gandhi brigade who is restive, upset at being sidelined in the present scheme of things in Rajasthan Congress and who had last year openly rebelled against Gehlot.
As speculation grew over Pilot's next moves in the backdrop of Prasada joining the BJP, he has made it clear that he is not joining the saffron party.
Before arriving in Delhi, he participated in Congress protests in Jaipur against the Modi government over rise in fuel prices and inflation. The central leadership is learnt to have reached out to him, and AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is said to have again donned the role of a peacemaker. Pilot is learnt to have been given the assurance of a cabinet expansion happening soon in the Gehlot government, which would accommodate legislators loyal to him.
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During his stay in Delhi over the weekend, Pilot could have meetings with central leaders. However, it was not clear if he could have meetings with former party chief Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka. Pilot has gone public with his complaint that the concerns voiced by him and other MLAs have not been dealt with, despite 10 months having passed since a truce was called between him and Gehlot. The central leadership had then assured Pilot and MLAs loyal to him that the issues raised by them would be dealt with.
According to party sources, the central leadership is taking steps to deal with the dissatisfaction of Pilot and MLAs supporting him. They say that Gehlot could revamp his cabinet by July. There are nine vacancies in the cabinet. However, there will be a tussle for the cabinet berths, since the Pilot camp is learnt to have demanded that seven of their MLAs be accommodated in the government, while Gehlot would also want to reward some of the independent MLAs who have been supporting him as also the BSP legislators who joined the Congress, strengthening his position.
There has also been speculation about Pilot being given an important role in the AICC when its much awaited reshuffle takes place. There was a buzz that he could be made in charge of Gujarat, which goes to polls next year. However, it is unclear whether Pilot will accept any assignment that takes him out of Rajasthan since he is known to be keen to build his political future in the state.
