JAIPUR: In defiance of Congress diktat Sachin Pilot is holding a day-long fast today in protest against his own party-led government. Setting the stage for a confrontation with Pilot, the Congress high command has however made it clear that his fast would be against the interests of the party and be treated as an “anti-party activity”.
Arriving at Shaheed Smarak at around 11 am, Pilot garlanded the photos of Mahatma Gandhi and Jyotirao Phule on the dais, before sitting on the stage as patriotic songs, including Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, Dil Diya Hai Jaan Bhi Denge, Ae Watan Tere Liye, Mera Rang De Basanti Chola, and Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, played in the background.
Friction between two camps led by Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot stepped up ahead of the State Assembly elections. Pilot and Gehlot have both been at loggerheads since Pilot reportedly made attempt to coup against the Gehlot government in July 2020.
In a surprise late-night statement on Monday, AICC in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said: “Sachin Pilot’s day-long fast tomorrow is against party interests and is (an) anti-party activity. If there is any issue with his own government, it can be discussed in the party forums instead of in the media and public.”
The fast stemmed from the allegations by Pilot, where he claimed his Congress colleague and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was sitting on corruption cases against the previous Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government.
Supporters of the ex-deputy CM chanted “Humara CM Kaisa Ho, Sachin Pilot Jaisa Ho,” and “I love you, I love you, Sachin Pilot, I love you,” while also demanding action in corruption cases. Apart from hundreds of Congress workers, Congress leader and president and founder of Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha, Pandit Suresh Mishra, and former Jaipur mayor Jyoti Khandelwal accompanied Pilot on the stage.