Rajasthan elections 2023: Meet Sachin Pilot, the youth icon of Congress

Sachin Pilot became the youngest member of Parliament at the age of 26 and has been a popular figure among the Gujjar community

Sachin Pilot is one of the youngest senior leaders in the Indian National Congress party. Pilot has been able to leverage his background as a member of the Gujjar community as well as political connections to build a strong profile in the Congress party. The Congress library describes Pilot as "A pro-farmer leader", "youth icon", and "an architect of rural India."

Here is a closer look at the former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan and his political career so far.

Background and family

Sachin Pilot was born on September 7, 1977 in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh to Rama Pilot and Rajesh Pilot. His father, Rajesh Pilot, served as a squadron leader of the Indian Air Force before joining the Indian National Congress party, representing the Dausa constituency of Rajasthan. Rajesh Pilot also served as union minister when Rajiv Gandhi, and later P V Narasimha Rao took the Prime Minister's office.

 

Pilot studied at Air Force Bal Bharati School, New Delhi. He completed his bachelor's degree from St Stephens College, University of Delhi, before pursuing a diploma in marketing from IMT Ghaziabad and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, US.

Before joining politics, Pilot worked at the Delhi Bureau of the BBC, followed by a two-year stint at General Motors.

In 2004, he married Saraa Abdullah, the daughter of Farooq Abdullah, chairman of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference and ex-Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. They have two sons, Aaran and Vehaan Pilot.

Also Read: BJP struggles in Rajasthan due to lack of public connection: Sachin Pilot

In 2012, Pilot also became the first union minister to be commissioned as an officer in the Territorial Army of India. He said it had been a desire of his to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

Rise in politics

Sachin Pilot became the youngest member of Parliament at the age of 26 when he was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from Dausa Parliamentary constituency of Rajasthan in May 2004. Since then, he has served as a member of the Parliament's standing committee on home affairs, the consultative committee in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the budget estimates committee of Parliament, and as Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

In 2009, he won Lok Sabha seat in Ajmer constituency but was not able to retain in the following election in 2014. In the same year, he was appointed President of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC).

In 2012, he was also appointed Minister of Corporate Affairs during Manmohan Singh's second administration.

After he was dismissed from his position as DCM, Pilot continued to exert his influence in the state and now has become a member of the Congress Working Committee ahead of the Rajasthan state Assembly election later this year and at the general elections, slated for 2024.

Roots in the Gujjar community

Sachin Pilot's journey in Indian politics is not only marked by his political achievements but also by his significant identity within the Gujjar community, an OBC (Other Backward Classes) group. Hailing from a family with a rich political legacy, Pilot's rise to prominence has been closely intertwined with his commitment to representing and empowering the Gujjar community. He also currently holds the seat in the Tonk district, which holds a significant Gujjar population. As a member of the community, Pilot has strived to advocate for their interests and concerns on political platforms, allowing him to connect with the significant populace of Rajasthan.

In September 2022, Pilot even wrote a letter to the sitting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot urging him to fulfill Congress' promise to provide five per cent reservation to more backward classes (MBC). He also wrote about his concern regarding a welfare scheme for Gujjars, the Devnarayan scheme, that had been put on ice. "People meet me personally to demand proper implementation and sufficient budget allotment to this scheme," Pilot said.

Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan (2018-20)

Sachin Pilot had led the Congress party's campaign as the RPCC president during the 2018 state assembly elections. Pilot was rewarded for this effort by being appointed the Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) of Rajasthan. However, the internal turmoil within the RPCC ended with Pilot being removed from his role as DCM in 2020.

Pilot-Gehlot tussle

While Pilot's supporters had expected him to lead the state as the face of the Congress party in Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot was renamed chief minister, beginning his second term in the position.

Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's relationship was strained from the beginning and became a topic of discussion within political circles.

Ultimately, Pilot staged a revolt in July 2020, demanding a change in leadership with a few MLAs in his support. However, the party sided with Gehlot and Pilot was sacked from his position.

At that time, there was speculation on whether Pilot would jump ship and join another party. However, Pilot remained a part of the Congress and continued to exert his influence in the party and the state.

Tensions between the two continued, with both leaders taking regular jibes at each other during public events. Ashok Gehlot praised Opposition leader Vasundhara Raje, stating that her support had allowed him to keep his seat as chief minister during Pilot's revolt. Pilot responded by accusing Gehlot of following BJP's Vasundhara Raje's lead as opposed to Congress' Sonia Gandhi.

Congress' united front

In 2023, ahead of the five state assembly elections, Congress announced that the party would stand united in the elections. Both Pilot and Gehlot appeared together at Congress meetings and rallies, a sight that had become rare since their fallout in 2020.

The two leaders publicly announced that their previous issues had been put to rest and they would work together moving forward.

Pilot also joined the CWC and continues to address rallies and present Congress as a united front.

Rajasthan state assembly elections are slated for later this year. Congress is yet to announce its candidate list for the upcoming state polls.