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CM Gehlot lists 5 reasons why Congress took the ‘sad’ decision on Sachin Pilot

The decision to sack Sachin Pilot as deputy CM & Rajasthan Congress chief came two days after he mounted an open rebellion against the Gehlot government.

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Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Tuesday sought to justify the Congress’ decision to sack rebel Sachin Pilot as deputy chief minister and president of the party’s state unit. 

The decision, which came two days after former Union minister Pilot mounted an open rebellion against the Gehlot government, was a “sad” one that the party felt “compelled” to take, he said in a media address.

He cited five reasons for the decision. 

‘A BJP bid to unseat Congress govt’

Gehlot alleged that a horse-trading conspiracy by the BJP was being hatched over the past six months to topple his government, adding that some of his Congress colleagues had “come under their trap”. “But BJP’s attempt to destabilise government like in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh could not be fulfilled. For the first time, there is a government in the country that destabilises elected governments and topples them,” he told reporters.

‘MLAs rejected olive branch’

Gehlot said all the rebel MLAs were given the opportunity to air their grievances at two meetings of the Congress Legislative Party, held Monday and Tuesday in the presence of central party observers, but they didn’t attend. He said some of the “rebel MLAs held captive” at a hotel in Manesar wanted to join the meeting, but were unable to because Haryana has a BJP government in office.

‘People deserve good governance’

The resort where the rebel MLAs are staying was arranged by the BJP, Gehlot said. “What option does the government have in such a situation? We have promised good governance, we should fulfil that rather than indulging in internal fights,” he added. “It is sad to see someone trying to topple the government at a time when we are in the middle of a deadly pandemic,” Gehlot said.

‘Pilot made irresponsible statements’

Gehlot said Pilot had been making irresponsible statements in public. “Despite the fact that his behaviour in the past six months was not good, I did not complain about it. Every day, he used to tweet and give out statements. If someone is a chief minister, his duty is to understand public sentiment, ensure the government stays together. I have colleagues in the cabinet and no one is the boss… The MLAs, irrespective of the group they belong to, I have worked with all of them and given them their due.”

‘They are blackmailing us’

No one is happy with the situation, including the high-command, but the rebel MLAs refused to attend the meeting despite being given several chances, Gehlot said. “We tried everything, but when we saw they have made a deal with the BJP and then there were talks of floating a new party after the MLAs didn’t agree. Breaking a party is illegal under law, they are blackmailing (us). They want a floor test in the assembly when we have complete majority,” Gehlot added.


Also Read: Sachin Pilot’s anger is misplaced. Ashok Gehlot isn’t the enemy, Congress culture is


Reshuffle likely Thursday

The Rajasthan chief minister has now called a meeting of his cabinet to discuss a reshuffle as two Pilot loyalists have also been stripped of their ministries. A cabinet expansion in the state is expected by Thursday.

Pilot rebelled against the Congress government Sunday, the second young turk of the party to do so since March when Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP with over 20 MLAs. While Pilot has been removed as deputy CM and state party chief, he remains a member of the Congress.


Also read: How and why Ashok Gehlot ‘baited’ Sachin Pilot to turn rebel


 

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Sachin had everything from the Congress. MP at 26, Union minister at 32, PCC chief at 36, Dy CM at 40. No other congressman had such a rise, except maybe Sharad Pawar. And you know what happened.

  2. Sachin Pilot may seem to have lost to Ashok Gehlot but the fight will not end here. The Govt. will be and is being led by man who was fighting all the while a man who must have credited to have brought the Congress to the light in Rajasthan has been now sacked for being disloyal to the congress and the party that Sachin fought all his past ie BJP, has been called a stooge of BJP in order to throw Ashok Gehlot Govt. Congress is now in the hands of those who look to it as only alternative and most of them are aspiring wait ing to become Minister at the state or at the centre as and when the present Govt. falls due to its own weight. It has come the state that spokes person like Pawan Khera has been calling Sachin a man who did not go by the discipline of the party. Old haggard like Mani Shankar who has never been able to give anything but take only has also been calling Sachin of his loyalty to his father. Such is the reward that Congress under Gandhi family is giving. Rahul Gandhi is the natural choice to be Prime Minister and if not he then Priyanka Gandhi for now is the natural leader of congress. No one is reading the letter of resignation that Rahul Gandhi had submitted while resigning from the post of Congress President and what he did mention without mentioning name of Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath. It was blind love for a group of people that is ditching congress and in turn ditching nation.

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