Have Made No Demands For CM Position, Clarifies “Nikamma”Sachin Pilot
NEW DELHI : Congress leader Sachin Pilot said he has not demanded any post from the party and there should not be any vendetta politics as he returned to Jaipur nearly a month after his revolt against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
On Monday, a meeting between Pilot and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had signaled an “amicable resolution” of nearly a month-long Rajasthan political crisis ahead of the crucial assembly session beginning August 14.Pilot said he did not make any statement against the party and had gone to discuss issues with the Congress high command in Delhi. I have not demanded any post from the party, he added.
Mr Pilot, 42, who revolted against the Chief Minister after being summoned in allegations of bribing Congress MLAs to defect, dropped his rebellion after meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra yesterday. All he apparently got from the leadership was an assurance that the grievances of the rebels would be heard by a three-member committee that includes Priyanka Gandhi.
Pilot, who engineered a rebellion against the Gehlot last night tweeted that he stood firm “in my belief & will continue working for a better India, to deliver on promises made to the people of Rajasthan & protect democratic values we cherish” after returning to the party fold post a month-long political crisis in the state.
Pilot’s tweet came hours after the Congress said Pilot will work in the “interest of the Congress” and a three-member committee will be set up to address the grievances expressed by him and other aggrieved MLAs, signalling an “amicable resolution” of nearly a month-long Rajasthan crisis ahead of the crucial assembly session from August 14.
The meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Pilot at the former party chief’s residence, where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present, lasted two hours during which they had a “frank, open and conclusive” discussion.
While the Congress did not give details of what transpired in the Rahul-Pilot meeting, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said in a statement that following the meeting, Sonia Gandhi has decided that the AICC will constitute a three-member committee to “address the issues raised by Pilot and the aggrieved MLAs and arrive at an appropriate resolution thereof”.
“Shri Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan,” it added. On his part, Pilot said, “We raised issues of principles before the Congress leadership, and welcome their assurance of a time-bound redressal of our grievances.”
“I have not asked for any post. I have only said there should be no vendetta politics against the MLAs who are returning to the fold,” Sachin Pilot said on the 18 rebels who had joined him in his rebellion.
Asserting that he doesn’t crave for any post and that the party can take back the position given to him, Pilot said,”Some personal remarks have been made against me. I feel there is no place for personal mudslinging in politics,” in an apparent reference to Gehlot’s “nikamma” remarks against him.
However, Congress sources ruled out that Ashok Gehlot will be replaced as Rajasthan chief minister or Pilot will be reinstated as party’s Rajasthan chief, a post which was filled immediately after the Congress sacked Pilot following his open revolt against Gehlot last month.
(With Agency Inputs ).
