Sachin Pilot points to absence of Dalits in Rajasthan cabinet; urges leadership to 'keep balance'
Amid speculation over cabinet rejig and political appointments in Rajasthan, Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday point out the absence of Dalit faces in the state cabinet and urged the top leadership to 'keep a balance'.
There are 30 cabinet posts in Rajasthan, in which the state currently has 21 cabinet ministers including the chief minister. The remaining nine posts are vacant. Apart from this, three cabinet ministers have been given new responsibilities in the organization.
Not a single Dalit minister is in the Rajasthan government. On the other hand, the top leadership made Charanjit Singh Channi the CM of Punjab, who belongs to the Dalit community.
"The representation of SC and ST in the cabinet should be increased from now on. All classes should be given equal representation", Pilot said to the top leadership.
Pilot will be given the responsibility of campaigning in the Gujjar-dominated areas of Uttar Pradesh in the coming days. At present, there is little chance of any major leadership change in the state or of any role being given to Sachin Pilot in Delhi.
His nearly hour-long meeting came a day after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Gandhi here and the two leaders are learned to have discussed the political situation as well as the impending cabinet reshuffle in the state.
He said the committee that Sonia Gandhi had formed to look into the issues raised by him about a year ago has also competed its work, and general secretary organization KC Venugopal along with AICC general secretary in-charge Ajay Maken have been submitting reports from time to time.
"The party high command is also talking about taking action on the points we had put forward last year and I think very soon decisions will be taken on it," he said.
Pilot for long has been demanding that cabinet expansion should happen and appointments to boards and corporations in the state are to be made soon. He has been asserting that Congress workers and leaders working closely with him for the party should be given their dues.
On being asked that over a year has passed and decision on cabinet expansion and political appointments has not been taken, he said the decisions were delayed and cited the coronavirus pandemic as a reason.
Also Read: Sachin Pilot meets Sonia Gandhi amid Cabinet reshuffle buzz in Rajasthan
