India / Need to forgive and forget: Raj CM after truce with Congress MLAs

JAIPUR: Sachin Pilot’s difficulties don’t seem to be ending days after his ‘ghar vapsi’ (homecoming) in Rajasthan Congress.

Pro-Gehlot Congress MLAs opposed the return of the Pilot camp rebels at a meeting in Jaisalmer on Tuesday night.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wasn’t too kind, saying the loyal MLAs were “naturally upset” at the truce and the tough time the party had to face because of the rebels.

However, the CM’s advice to his loyalists was: Forget and forgive, and move on. 

The uneasy calm in the Gehlot camp is accentuated by the lack of clarity over the exact formula for truce worked out between Pilot and Priyanka Gandhi. Sources say it might be revealed after the expected Cabinet reshuffle. 

Not only did Pilot lose his twin posts of deputy CM and party chief, his loyal ministers, Vishwendra Singh and Ramesh Meena, too, were dropped from the Gehlot cabinet.

Besides, some of the other Pilot loyalists lost their positions in the state party organisation. 

While boarding a flight for Jodhpur from Jaisalmer on Wednesday, Gehlot said, “It’s natural for (loyalist) MLAs to be upset given the manner this episode happened and the way they were forced to stay in hotels for a month…I have told them that we need to be tolerant if we want to serve the nation, state and the people to save democracy.”

Sources said the legislative party meeting in Jaisalmer on Tuesday night was pretty noisy with central leaders  Avinash Pandey, Ajay Maken and Randeep Surjewala stepping in to pacifying the MLAs.

The pro-Gehlot MLAs expressed displeasure at the leadership’s generosity towards Pilot and his men. Some MLAs expressed reservations at the truce worked out between Pilot and Priyanka.

The loyalists returned to Jaipur on Wednesday afternoon.

They will continue to stay at the Fairmont hotel in the state capital where they had stayed for over a fortnight before shifting to Jaisalmer.

They may continue to remain corralled till the Assembly session begins on August 14.

However, the pro-Pilot camp has reportedly not been asked to come to the Fairmont. An MLA of the Pilot group, G L Khatana, said, “The party leadership has assured us that there will be no discrimination against us. If there is any CLP meeting, and the party issues a whip, we will surely attend the meeting.”