Rajasthan Congress crisis: Ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly election, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot upped the ante against his colleague and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Pilot's day-long hunger strike against the Gehlot government demanding action against corruption took place during BJP rule, deepened the ongoing infighting in Rajasthan Congress. His protest against the Rajasthan government comes despite stern warnings by All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Rajasthan, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. Congress termed Pilot's protest as anti-party activity. However, it is unclear whether, the party will take disciplinary action, against him or not.
Now the question is which way Rajasthan Congress infighting is heading? Will he form his own party? Will he join BJP? or a truce will take place between warring Gehlot and Pilot?
Also Read: Sachin Pilot saga: What's the road ahead for Congress leader l Options
Infighting in Congress has been a perennial issue since the Indira Gandhi era. Pilot's rebellious attitude reminds an interesting anecdote that ended with the birth of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal.
Will Rajasthan Congress go in way of Bengal unit of the late 1990s?
During the late 1990s, West Bengal Congress witnessed a Rajasthan-like series of episodes of rivalry between two- senior and junior leaders. That time Mamata Banerjee was acting like Pilot of Rajasthan. Her activism and ambition created anxiety among higher rank leadership in the state. Those days, Youth Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was emerging as the biggest challenger for Somen Mitra who was the West Bengal Congress president (1992–1998). Mitra was close to high command as under his leadership the party did well in 1996 assembly election by winning 82 seats. However, Banerjee as a young face, and her activist attitude attracted youths. Riding the crest of her popularity, she raised her ambition and posed herself as a contender for the state party president post. However, Mitra with high command's favour outsmarted Mamata in the internal election and became the Bengal Congress president. Disquiet with being sidelined by the seniors, She left Congress in 1997. Later the next year, Banerjee founded the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) in 1998.
Meanwhile, Pilot, unlike Banerjee, is not so much vocal about his future plans and he kept his cards close to his chest. He knows maintaining suspense with keeping all options open will raise his negotiation value.
