Rajasthan Crisis: Sachin Pilot Says Won't Join BJP, What Made Him Retract After Upping The Ante Against Gehlot Govt?

Congress has said that the BJP is trying to destabilise the Congress government and wants to repeat what they did in Madhya Pradesh. But the MLAs are fully with the government and the party, he said.

New Delhi: Amid the crisis looming large over the Rajasthan government over Sachin Pilot’s expected defection to the saffron party, the Congress young gun and the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan on Sunday late night told ABP News that he will not be switching allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Pilot’s statement quashing all the murmurs about him joining the Saffron party today, comes as a surprise, as Pilot, who has gone incommunicado had opened up an rebellion withing the party and had claimed that the Gehlot government was in minority. He even contacted his former colleague from Madhya Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday, and speculations were high that he would pull a Scindia-like stunt in Rajasthan. Pilot was reportedly furious that he and his supporters have been humiliated time and again by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. What could make Sachin Pilot reconsider his stance? After upping the ante, Pilot's sudden backtracking raises question whether he has a plan B in mind? It is now being speculated that Pilot may have taken this decision after being betrayed by some of his supporters. As per sources three MLAs who swore loyalty to Pilot have now decided to go with the government. Watch here:  What happened in Pilot’s talks with Congress top-brass? According to the sources, Pilot along with his few loyalist MLA, was in Delhi to meet Congress top brass Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi to discuss over the ongoing rift between two factions of the government. If the sources are to be believed, Rahul asked Pilot to return to Jaipur and work under the leadership of CM Gehlot and maintain the unity of the party. Congress legislature party meet today: A whip has been issued to all the party MLAs, asking them to attend the Congress Legislature Party meeting at 10.30 am. "Action will be taken against those who skip the meeting," Congress leader Avinash Pande said. He has said that as many as 109 MLAs have signed the letter to express full confidence in the Congress government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Some other MLAs have spoken to the chief minister over the phone and they will also sign the letter. Pande said the BJP was behind the "conspiracy" to topple the Ashok Gehlot government but it will complete its term. The BJP is trying to destabilise the Congress government and wants to repeat what they did in Madhya Pradesh. But the MLAs are fully with the government and the party, he said. The number game in Rajasthan assembly: There are 200 seats in Rajasthan Assembly. 101 seats are needed for a majority. The Congress has 107 MLAs. The BJP has 72 and the others have 21 MLAs. As per sources, at least 30 MLAs are in support of Pilot.