Rajasthan: Pilot's mega rally today amid widening feud with Gehlot
Amid celebrations in the Congress cadres following its resounding win in Karnataka, trouble is slowly brewing for the grand old party in Rajasthan. Congress leader Sachin Pilot's Jan Sangarsh Yatra—a five-day-long foot march against CM Ashok Gehlot-led government for its alleged inaction in corruption cases during former CM Vasundhara Raje's tenure—culminated on Monday. He is also expected to address a mega rally on Monday.
Why does this story matter?
As the Rajasthan Assembly elections draw closer, political tensions have escalated in the state. Infighting within the Congress triggered a political crisis in 2020, which saw the then-deputy CM Pilot and 18 other MLAs rebelling against Gehlot's administration. However, the crisis was avoided after the Congress high command intervened and removed Pilot from his positions as the party's state chief and the deputy CM.
Pilot's mega rally expected today
Pilot's Jan Sangarsh Yatra, held for demanding an investigation into corruption allegations against Raje, concluded on Monday. And, upon the culmination of the five-day-long foot march, he is set to address a mega rally near Kamla Nehru Nagar along the Ajmer highway, said reports. The Congress leader's march reportedly received a good response as thousands of people joined him from Ajmer to Jaipur.
Video of foot march shared by Pilot on Twitter
Gehlot, Congress's top leadership reportedly under pressure
According to News18, Pilot's 125-kilometer-long yatra put pressure on CM Gehlot and Congress's senior leadership. Although the foot march was held to highlight corruption during the previous Raje-led Bharatiya Janata Party government, it also called out Gehlot for alleged inaction. Pilot and Gehlot's dispute is expected to impact the impending state elections later this year as the Congress seeks to retain power in Rajasthan.
Gehlot targets Pilot's yatra, claims corruption allegations against Raje 'baseless'
Pilot's march came just days after Gehlot accused the MLAs who participated in the 2020 rebellion of receiving money from the BJP. Notably, Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs then demanded a change in the state leadership. However, he was thereafter removed as the Congress state unit president and deputy CM. Gehlot also attacked Pilot's yatra, claiming his corruption allegations against Raje were unfounded.
Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal hints at high command's plan
According to multiple reports, the Congress's senior leadership is expected to settle the Pilot-Gehlot conflict after the chief minister of Karnataka is announced. Speaking to NDTV, senior Congress leader KC Venugopal also hinted at it on Sunday. Some leaders, like Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, believe Pilot should face disciplinary punishment, while others, including Kamal Nath, warned this might backfire in an election year.
