Rajasthan Congress in crisis as revolt breaks out

The Rajasthan Congress is in crisis with the split between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot now out in the open. Pilot claims to have the support of 30 MLAs and is likely to meet BJP President J P Nadda today. There are rumours that he may even join the BJP.

Pilot has refused to attend a Congress party meet to resolve the crisis. Meanwhile the party leaders have said they are united behind Gehlot.

The crisis in Rajasthan came three months after the Congress lost Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya Pradesh to the BJP. This was the result of a fallout of the fight between the party’s old leaders and the new. Pilot is believed to have been in talks with the BJP since before the lockdown. The crisis erupted after he was summoned for questioning by the Special Operations Group, controlled by Ashok Gehlot’s home ministry, over allegations of destabilising the government.

Gehlot had also said that the BJP is trying to grab power in the state by bribing MLAs.

Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are aware of the situation and will take a call on the matter according to party sources. Congress sources said the party’s central leaders are upset with Gehlot for issuing orders to question Pilot, putting the government at risk in one of the few states where it is in power.