Sachin Pilot Crashes Congress Jodo Show in Rajasthan

An uneasy climate of peace prevails in Rajasthan Congress, hovering like a dark cloud over the Bharat Jodo Yatra being staged by Rahul Gandhi, ostensibly to unite the country. He may soon have to turn his attention to bringing together warring factions in the Rajasthan Congress led by Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. Ironically enough, during the course of the same yatra, both these leaders put up a show of unity. Towards the end of November last year, Gehlot had claimed that Rahul Gandhi described him and Sachin Pilot as assets to the party. As subsequent developments seem to suggest, this was more of a photo op and the statement, for public consumption. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is reviewing the work done by his colleagues in the cabinet by holding a “Chintan Shivir” and as it turns out, Sachin Pilot is also planning a show of strength on the same day. Each has his own reasons for doing what he is doing. Ashok Gehlot wants to show the Gandhis that he is in complete control of Rajasthan Congress, since a question mark seemed to have arisen some time ago. There were hints of mutiny in the party camp and some effective scrambling at the behest of headquarters, put the house in order. Pilot wants to demonstrate his muscle in the Jat-dominated belts of Rajasthan and will hold what is being dubbed “Kisan Mahasammelan.” He will tour important constituencies in this belt and will thus send a message to the Congress leadership indicating his stature in the Rajasthan unit. Pilot’s task is a bit more challenging because he needs to ensure that Gehlot does not point a finger at him and claim that he is yielding ground to the BJP. As in the case of Himachal Pradesh and Telangana, the Congress unit in Rajasthan is split into factions with loyalties divided between chief minister, Gehlot and his deputy and rival Sachin Pilot. In such a scenario, what can the leadership do? It has to take some hard decisions. If it wants to back a young leader at a time when the younger generation through the strength of demographic dividend, is making it count electorally, it will have to pick Pilot. In making such a move, what could the party leadership be scared of? The Gandhis might be evaluating the extent to which Ashok Gehlot could then hurt the party’s prospects in 2024 in Rajasthan. The perception that Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra succeeded in cementing the bonds between Gehlot and Pilot, is now beginning to fade. On November 29, 2022, the Congress general secretary, KC Venugopal told the media that both Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have said that the Congress party in Rajasthan is united. A beaming Venugopal flanked by both the leaders appeared in front of the media, holding their hands. Today, barely over two months later, a united Congress in the state continues to be a mirage.