Congress leader Sachin Pilot began his day-long fast calling for action by Gehlot government on alleged corruption during the previous BJP government in the state. The former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister went ahead with his decision to hold the fast after the Congress on Monday night issued a stern warning to him saying any such action on his part would amount to anti-party activity. On Sunday, Pilot had alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led government failed to investigate graft during the previous BJP rule in Rajasthan and announced his plan to hold a day-long fast for today to press for action.
The move by Pilot has brought to the fore, the rift between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot within the Congress party once again ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly elections scheduled later this year.
Terming the fast as against the party's interest, Rajasthan Congress chief Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa
said he talked to Pilot during the day and told him to raise issues at party platforms instead of going public against its government.
"Pilot's day-long fast is against the party's interests. If there is any issue with his government, it can be discussed in party forums instead of in the media and public," Randhawa said in a statement.
He said the two letters Pilot was referring to for action against graft by the previous Vasundhara Raje government have never been raised before him despite several talks and discussions.
While Randhawa claimed that Pilot never raised the issue with him, a PTI report citing sources close to Pilot said that the former Deputy CM spoke over the phone but the AICC in-charge of the state had not asked Pilot to call off the fast.