'Forget and forgive': Pilot buries the hatchet with Gehlot post-Kharge's intervention ahead of Rajasthan polls

Rajasthan political development: Hinting at a possible reconciliation with Ashok Gehlot, Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday (July 8) said that he has buried the hatchet with the Rajasthan Chief Minister on the advice of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and added that collective leadership is the ‘only way’ forward into the Assembly polls slated later this year.

Days after a key strategy meet of the party in connection with the Rajasthan polls, Pilot said that Kharge has advised him to ‘forgive and forget’ and move along.

"It was as much an advice as a directive. Ashok Gehlot ji is older than me, he has more experience. He has heavy responsibilities on his shoulders. When I was the Rajasthan Congress president, I tried to take everyone along. I think that today he is the Chief Minister (Gehlot), so he is trying to take everyone along,” Pilot said.

When asked about Gehlot calling him names in the past and also him criticising the Chief Minister over the inaction on the alleged corruption in the previous Vasundhara Raje government, Pilot said that Kharge, in the meeting, said that time that has gone by will not come back and one has to look at the future.

"He (Kharge) said forgive and forget and look forward and that is applicable to everybody. I believe in that, we now have to move forward and meet new challenges. This country needs Congress to do well. We need to seek blessings of the people of Rajasthan and in order to do that we have to work unitedly and move forward in a way that is acceptable to the people and to the party workers," Pilot said.

In a reference to Gehlot, he said that he has always ‘refrained from’ using unpleasant language for anyone.

"So who said what, at which time, there is no point talking about it as it does not mean anything. I have always refrained from using any word or language that I feel is unpleasant or is something that I would not want to hear about myself. In public life and politics, it is always good to maintain certain dignity of discourse," Pilot said.

Challenges ahead

The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister stressed that the challenge that lies ahead is of winning the upcoming Assembly polls.

"Next challenge for us is to win elections, neither individuals nor statements matter, those are bygones," he said.

His remarks come after Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Randhawa, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Dotasra, he and several MLAs and ministers from the state attended a polls strategy meeting at the AICC headquarters here. Gehlot, who is recovering from injuries to his toes, attended the meeting via video conferencing.

After the meeting, Congress had said that the party can emerge victorious in Rajasthan, given that there is unity. It had also warned of strict action against those not maintaining discipline and speaking outside the party forum.

No chief ministerial face ahead of polls

The party had also indicated that it may not declare a chief ministerial face ahead of the polls.

Asked about Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal's remarks that the party never announces the chief ministerial candidate, Pilot said, "I think what Venugopal ji said is not incorrect. Every time we go to polls, it is not an individual that fights elections. So in 2018, I was the state party president and when we fought the elections unitedly we never said X, Y, Z will be the CM face. That is a decision that happens post elections."

The Congress leader stressed on tackling the challenge of bucking the anti-incumbency trend that has persisted for over two decades.

"It is a cause of concern as to why we form the government and then we lose rather badly in the next polls," he said.

Pressed further on whether collective leadership was the way to go in Rajasthan, Pilot said, "It is the only way to go. I have said earlier, no one individual can actually say or claim that he or she can do the magic of winning elections. It is always a team effort. More than leaders, it is the workers, we have to enthuse the workers, they need to feel committed and involved, and as Rahul Gandhi has said that the party workers must feel involved in decision-making."

He also called for the encouragement of young leaders to be given a chance to prove themselves.

Power tussle between Pilot and Gehlot

On what role he would play going forward, Pilot said he has always discharged his duties with utmost dedication in the past and any decision on it taken by the party high command would be acceptable to him.

"We are on our way to making history. It is quite possible that we will get more seats than we got last time," he said.

Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018. Both leaders have indulged in a war of words out in the open on several occasions.

In 2020, Pilot led a revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party's state unit president and deputy chief minister.

Last year, an attempt by the high command to effect a leadership change in Rajasthan had failed after Gehlot loyalists dug their heels in and did not allow a legislature party meeting to take place.

Pilot had last month defied a warning from the party and went ahead with a day-long fast targeting Gehlot over his "inaction" on alleged corruption during the previous Raje government.

(With PTI inputs)

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