reported by, Pallavi Ghosh
Last Update: April 13, 2023, 09:45 AM IST
In a subtle way, Sachin Pilot (right) is being portrayed as someone who is a rebel and helping the BJP, while senior leaders have moved closer to Ashok Gehlot (left). (Getty)
In the end, it’s a tense situation and a matter of who blinks first. The weakened Gandhi family may find it difficult to take on Gehlot and it may be difficult for Pilot to take on the chief minister despite the soft approach of the siblings
As temperatures rise in Rajasthan, pressure is mounting on the Congress in Delhi to find a solution to the Gehlot-Sachin Pilot crisis. More than 24 hours after the Congress warned Pilot’s ‘fast’ as anti-party activity, the Grand Old Party is yet to decide whether to issue him a show-cause notice.
The reasons are many. One, according to sources, Priyanka Vadra is not keen on steering the boat. The Congress has recently seen some exits like Anil Antony and CK Kesavan. While the party may dismiss them as petty leaders who do not matter, the fact is that with each departure, the Congress looks out of sync and Rahul Gandhi is blamed.
The pilots facing action at this time will spoil the condition of the party in two ways. One, when Rahul Gandhi is campaigning against corruption, the pilot strike cannot be seen as a case against Vasundhara Raje Scindia for opening corruption cases against him. It definitely cannot be termed as anti-party,” said a source close to Pilot.
Second, Pilot may be an MLA but he is one of the high-profile and star campaigners of the Congress. With very few young leaders with pan-India appeal, keeping him away from the party could hurt the Congress as it heads for the 2024 elections.
However, on the other side is Ashok Gehlot. On several occasions, he has shown that he is a man in control. While Rajasthan usually sees a cyclical pattern in state elections, the Congress is expected to win again, with some good schemes being announced by the Chief Minister like Right to Health.
It is also clear that state in-charge Sukhwinder Randhawa and other senior leaders have moved closer to Gehlot and are supporting him. In a subtle way, Pilot is being portrayed as someone who is a rebel and is helping the BJP.
In the end, it’s a tense situation and a matter of who blinks first. After the failure of the Congress Legislature Party meeting, Gehlot could have stood in front of Sonia Gandhi. The weakened Gandhi family may find it difficult to take on Gehlot and it may be difficult for Pilot to take on Gehlot despite the soft approach of the siblings.
After the Punjab debacle, top Congress leaders including the Gandhi family are caught in a dilemma. Who should bell the cat? Will the pilot be the fall man? And in the end, will the divided Congress be able to give an edge to the BJP?
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