New Delhi: The rift inside the Rajasthan Congress has come out in open yet again with the state minister RS Gudha claiming that they will leave their stake if 80 percent of MLAs are not found in support of Sachin Pilot. This comes a day after CM Ashok Gehlot said that ‘traitor’ Pilot cannot become a Chief Minister.
Reacting to CM Gehlot’s comments, Rudha said, "He keeps calling him Nikamma, Nakara, Gaddar but there is no politician better than Sachin Pilot for the state of Rajasthan. He (Gehlot) is saying that Pilot doesn’t have the support of MLAs, so why doesn’t he go for counting?"
"We will leave our stake if 80 percent MLAs are not found with Sachin Pilot," he added.
Congress MLA from Rajasthan’s Baseri, Khiladi Lal Bairwa has also come out in support of Sachin Pilot. Talking to the news agency ANI, the MLA said that Gehlot’s remarks hurt the sentiments of Congressmen.
"Congress MLA Khiladi Lal Bairwa said, “Statement given by CM Gehlot hurts the sentiments of Congressmen. It is the High Command which makes us. Such comments are not befitting for a CM. Sachin Pilot has never challenged the high command. Everyone needs to work together," he said.
Talking to a TV news channel on Thursday, CM Gehlot said, “A gaddar (traitor) cannot be a chief minister. The high command cannot make Sachin Pilot the chief minister, a man who doesn't have 10 MLAs. Who revolted. He betrayed the party, (he) is a traitor."
"It must be a first for India that a party president tried to bring down his own government," Gehlot said about Pilot's revolt in 2020.
He also accused senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah of enabling the revolt in the party.
READ: Pilot Vs Gehlot – Decision On Rajasthan Congress Crisis After Gujarat Election: Sources
Reacting to the comments, Sachin Pilot said, "He called me nakara, gaddar... They are baseless allegations. Gehlotji is a very senior and experienced leader, and I don't know who is advising him and why he is making such baseless charges. The need now is to strengthen Congress. Rahul Gandhi is on Bharat Jodo Yara, and we have to make it a big success when it reaches Rajasthan."
This is not the first time that CM Gehlot has slammed Sachin Pilot. Earlier, he had called Pilot ‘nikamma and nakara’ (useless and worthless).
The Pilot vs Gehlot fight has brought Congress two major political crises in the last four years. Gehlot had earlier said that the Pilot’s revolt was ‘funded by the BJP’.