Rebellions in Congress: Sachin Pilot continues tirade against Gehlot regime

Sachin Pilot has sought accountability from a government led by his own party to explain inaction against corruption charges against the BJP. But there could be more here than meets the eye

The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan has not had a tranquil moment in the past four and a half years. But top state Congress leader and former state deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot’s latest tirade against the Gehlot regime has both angered and confused the supporters of the chief minister.
 

On April 11, Pilot sat under a large banner with Mahatma Gandhi’s picture, on a hunger strike. The banner said he was protesting against corruption in the previous Vasundhara Raje regime and the implied inaction of the government (led by his own party) against the scams. While his supporters asked in full-throated roars that Pilot be made chief minister, no MLA loyal to him could be spotted.
 

He also demanded that a probe be launched against the former Indian Premier League commissioner, Lalit Modi, who has been accused of financial irregularities, including money laundering and tax evasion.
 

Pilot’s demand included investigation into allegations that the Raje government allotted more than 600 mines to bidders, setting procedure aside. The matter was taken up by the Rajasthan High Court, which dismissed the petition. The Raje government cancelled the auctions, holding fresh ones. A junior state government employee was arrested. At the time, the Congress pursued the matter in the Supreme Court, which upheld the High Court’s decision. In a way, the matter has been settled by the court. So, Congress leaders in the state are wondering exactly what kind of investigation can now be mounted. As for Lalit Modi, half a dozen central government agencies, including a Mumbai special court, have issued warrants for his arrest for foreign exchange violation charges. There is little that the Gehlot government can do in the matter.
 

Pilot doesn’t think so. “With six to seven months left for the elections, the opponents can spread an illusion that there is some collusion. Therefore, action will have to be taken soon so that the Congress workers feel that there is no difference between our words and actions,” he said.
 

His supporter Rajendra Choudhary, former minister, said: “I was among the first to support Pilot’s agitation. If we don’t keep our promises, how will the voters believe in us? There is nothing wrong in raising your voice against corruption. Despite promising investigation, the government has done nothing. Under whose pressure is the government working?”
 

Citing a gag order from the central party, supporters of the chief minister refused to comment. But that the central party was behind Gehlot was clear from General Secretary Jairam Ramesh’s remark. He said last week: “The Congress government in Rajasthan with Ashok Gehlot as CM has implemented a large number of schemes and taken many new initiatives that have impacted the people profoundly. This has given the state a leadership position in governance in our country. Later in the year, the Congress will seek a renewed mandate from the people on the strength of these landmark achievements and the collective efforts of our organisation.”
 

Congressmen are asking two questions: Why now; and now what?
 

The answer to the first lies in a bit of history. The 2013 Assembly elections saw the comprehensive defeat of the Gehlot government at the hands of the BJP, bringing Vasundhara Raje to power. The Congress could manage just 21 seats, its lowest tally in history. The BJP posted a stupendous result, 163 seats, its highest ever. In 2014, in a bid to revive morale, Pilot was made party chief. He led the 2018 election campaign that led to a Congress victory. His reward was deputy chief ministership. He may have felt he deserved more.
 

His supporters got that chance in 2020, when, sensing he might get some assurances from the BJP, Pilot and his supporters sequestered themselves in Manesar, demanding a change of chief minister. That challenge was defused, but it came up again when Gehlot was offered the presidentship of the Congress but only if he gave up chief ministership. This was made clear by Rahul Gandhi at the Congress’s Chintan Shivir in Udaipur. Gehlot opted out of the presidential contest when his supporters hit the streets, demanding he be retained as CM. Action was promised against some individuals but was never taken. And most of Pilot’s supporters in the government were dropped.
 

If Pilot has raised the banner of revolt again, it is because he feels he has not got justice. And his supporters are in no doubt that if he doesn’t raise the issue now, it will be too late.
 

The party sent the man in charge of Rajasthan, S S Randhawa, for his assessment. All Randhawa has said so far is: “There will be action.” Meanwhile, Pilot is said to be in touch with the Aam Aadmi Party, though those in the know say things have not reached “critical mass” yet. But this much is clear: There is a rebellion in the Rajasthan Congress and it will get worse before it gets better.