Reacting to Congress MLA Giriraj Singh Malinga’s allegation that former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot had offered him Rs 35 crore to join BJP, Pilot said this is done solely to malign his image and to stifle the legitimate concerns that he had raised against the party leadership of the state. Speaking to news agency ANI, Pilot said, "I am saddened but not surprised to be at the receiving end of such baseless and vexatious allegations being levelled against me. This is done solely to malign me and to stifle the legitimate concerns that I had raised against the party leadership of the state, as a member and MLA of INC. This attempt further aims at defaming me and attack my credibility".
"The narrative is being redirected to avoid addressing the main issue. I will be taking appropriate and strictest possible legal action against the MLA who was made to make these accusations. I am sure more such concocted allegations will be thrown at me to cause aspersions on my public image. But I shall be unfettered and remain firm in my beliefs and convictions," Sachin Pilot further said.
His statement came just hours after Malinga said he was offered money to join the BJP in talks that were held at Pilot's residence. He claimed he subsequently alerted CM Gehlot about the conspiracy to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan.
"I had a talk with Sachinji. He offered me money to join the BJP, but I refused, saying I will not join the saffron party," Malinga told reporters in Jaipur.
Earlier in the day, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said he knew that his former deputy Sachin Pilot was “good for nothing”. Addressing the reporters, he said, “I knew that he was useless, good for nothing, and was only there to instigate people to fight. I am not here to sell vegetables, I am the CM.”
