'Doors Open For Talent': How BJP Leaders Are Luring Sacked Sachin Pilot Amid Tiff With Ashok Gehlot

As many as 59 office bearers of Tonk unit of Congress party in Rajasthan tendered their resignations in protest against the removal of Pilot as the Deputy CM and Rajasthan PCC Chief

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: The political conflict between the two factions of Congress-led governmental in Rajasthan  has come to a dramatic turn as the grand-old party sacked Sachin Pilot as deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan and as the president of the Rajsthan Pradesh Congress Committee on Tuesday. Besides Pilot, two other ministers Vishwendra Singh and Ramesh Meena were also removed from their posts while 59 office bearers of Tonk unit of Congress party in Rajasthan tendered their resignations in protest against the removal of Pilot as the Deputy CM and Rajasthan PCC Chief. The decision came after the disgruntled party leader decided to give another snub to the party's high-level legislative party meeting on Tuesday morning, despite open invitation and repeated coaxing by Congress top-brass including Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. However, Vishvendra Singh, who was dropped as minister, condemned the decision saying they did not do anything 'anti-party. "What anti-party statement did we make? We only wanted to get high command's attention to promises in our manifesto as we haven't been able to deliver them in close to 2 yrs of being in power. For what fault was action taken?"

What anti-party statement did we make?We only wanted to get high command's attention to promises in our manifesto as we haven't been able to deliver them in close to 2 yrs of being in power. For what fault was action taken?: Vishvendra Singh,who was dropped as minister #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/e0DnKEXOE9

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2020

This political drama in Rajasthan between team Pilot and team Gehlot appears to be an opportunity for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to slam the ruling Congress in the state and lure the sacked MLAs and leaders towards the saffron party. Reacting on the removal of Pilot and his loyalists, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat addressed an informal invitation to the leaders saying that BJP has its doors open for those who believe in its ideology. News Agency ANI quoted Shekhawat as saying, "So many people joined BJP after its establishment, making it the world's largest party. If anyone, who believes in our ideology, wants to join the party, we will definitely welcome them with open arms."

So many people joined BJP after its establishment, making it the world's largest party. If anyone, who believes in our ideology, wants to join the party, we will definitely welcome them with open arms: Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat#Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/pwoiPkS0K1

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2020

Similarly, former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined Bharatiya Janata Party in March this year, came out criticising Congress for removing Pilot from his posts. "In present circumstances, there is no place for ability in the Congress party. This can be seen in every state," said Scindia, as quoted by the agencies.

In present circumstances, there is no place for ability in the Congress party. This can be seen in every state: Jyotiraditya Scindia, BJP on political crisis in #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/VNIHo3GIvg

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2020

He had earlier also come out in support of his "erstwhile colleague" Sachin Pilot while attacking the other faction lead by state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Taking to his Twitter handle on Sunday, Scindia attacked the Congress-led Rajasthan government and said: Sad to see my erstwhile colleague,@SachinPilottoo, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan CM,@ashokgehlot51. Shows that talent and capability find little credence in the@INCIndia.

Sad to see my erstwhile colleague, @SachinPilot too, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan CM, @ashokgehlot51 . Shows that talent and capability find little credence in the @INCIndia .

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 12, 2020

It is to be marked that the entire political drama in the state brewed when CM Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP of poaching Congress MLAs to topple the Rajasthan government. Gehlot claimed that while his government is busy battling the Coronavirus, the BJP is playing politics and trying to sweep away Congress' MLAs. The Congress holds 107 seats in the 200-strong Rajasthan Assembly and has support from 12 independent candidates. In addition, five MLAs from other parties - the Rashtriya Lok Dal, the CPI (M), and the Bharatiya Tribal Party - support Gehlot.