Putting an end to speculation of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot forming a new party, Congress general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Tuesday said there was no such development and it will never happen. He asserted that 90 per cent of the issues of Pilot has been resolved.
“There is no such thing. Only some people in the media and newspapers are raising the issue, but there is nothing and it will not happen. I am hearing about forming a party from you only, there is no such thing. Pilot neither had this intention before nor does he have now,” said Randhawa told reporters in Jaipur when asked about the news of Pilot forming a new party.
On the reconciliation meeting of chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot, Randhawa said, “We sat and held discussions for around four hours in Delhi. Everyone, including Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal, spoke. We heard both leaders. They both were told that together ‘you are the asset of the Congress’. They both said they will work together.”
The leadership met Gehlot and Pilot separately on May 29. After the meeting, Venugopal had stated that “Gehlot and Pilot – both are in agreement that the Congress party has to go together and fight the elections unitedly”.
On the question of the formation of a committee on the demands raised by Pilot, he said, “The case was with the high command. In the meeting, 90 per cent of the issues were resolved, and the remaining 10 per cent have no such issue. Everyone agreed, and that’s why they together came outside with Venugopal, and announced in front of the media there itself.”
On the reconciliation formula, Randhawa said, “There was a reconciliation formula, it was known to both, and what Venugopal stated after coming out, you can understand that both want to work together.”
When asked about the post or responsibility to Pilot, he said as per the stature of a leader, all of them will be given responsibility. “The formula for reconciliation was finalised at the meeting itself, that formula. I will not tell you,” he said.
Ashok Gehlot vs Sachin Pilot
Gehlot and his former deputy Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in Rajasthan in 2018 and the party is seeking to broker peace between the two ahead of the assembly elections in the state, slated for later this year.
There is intense speculation that Pilot may give a clear indication on his way forward on June 11 when he marks his father’s death anniversary in Dausa.
