New Delhi: As the rift between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot intensified in Rajasthan, Gehlot on Wednesday urged his party leaders to "maintain discipline" and refrain from making political statements, as reported by news agency PTI. "AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal has asked not to give statements. We, too, want all leaders to maintain discipline," Gehlot told reporters during his Alwar visit.


He said the party's focus should be on retaining the government in Rajasthan.


"It is our objective to repeat the government. We have given good governance and brought so many schemes in the state, which has never happened before. We have started working towards retaining the state on good governance,” he said. 


Earlier in the day, Congress leader Sachin Pilot took a dig at Gehlot, calling PM Modi's praises for the veteran leader "an interesting development" that "shouldn't be taken lightly".


"I find the heaps of praises by PM Modi (on CM Gehlot y'day)very interesting. PM had similarly praised GN Azad in Parliament. We saw what happened after that. It was an interesting development y'day. Shouldn't be taken lightly," said Rajasthan Congress MLA Sachin Pilot to reporters, according to news agency ANI.


He also sought action against the Congress MLAs in Rajasthan who defied the party's plan to replace Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in September after he was asked to become Congress president. 


"As far as Raj is concerned, a CLP meet called on 25 Sept couldn't be held. AICC considered it a matter of indiscipline...Rules same for all. So, if indiscipline occurred&replies were given,action should be taken.I believe party chief Kharge will take a decision soon," said Sachin Pilot, reported ANI.


During the event honouring tribals at Mangarh dham, Gehlot heaped praises on the PM and said, "When Modi goes abroad, he gets so much respect. Why he gets the respect, he gets the respect because Modi is the prime minister of a country that is the country of Gandhi, roots of democracy are deeper and even after 70 years, democracy is alive. People know this and give respect."


Modi too showered praises on Gehlot and said, "It is a matter of pleasure for me that I had the opportunity to visit the holy place and bow my head here. As a CM, Ashok ji and I used to work together. Ashok ji was seniormost among the group of chief ministers. He is still one of the seniormost CMs. And even now, Ashok ji is one of the seniormost CMs among those who are sitting on the dais."