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The long-standing friction within the Rajasthan Congress saw a rare moment of public solidarity or perhaps a calculated display of veteran mentorship, as former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot stepped up to defend his erstwhile rival, Sachin Pilot, against scathing remarks from the BJP.
The verbal volley began when the BJP's Rajasthan in-charge, Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, launched a personal attack on Sachin Pilot. Agarwal labelled the younger leader an "impostor," suggesting that Pilot's loyalty was divided and claiming he keeps "one foot in Congress while the other is somewhere else." The comments aimed to reignite the narrative of instability that has shadowed the state's opposition party since the 2020 political crisis. Responding to the provocation on April 27, Ashok Gehlot dismissed the BJP's claims, asserting that Pilot is firmly rooted within the party fold. "Both his legs are in the Congress party and will remain there," Gehlot stated, providing a visual counter to Agarwal's "one foot out" metaphor. While defending Pilot, Gehlot did not shy away from referencing the 2020 rebellion, where Pilot and a group of loyalist MLAs moved to a resort in Manesar, nearly toppling the then-Congress government. "Those who strayed, who previously misled our people and took them to Manesar, will return. Sachin Pilot has experienced the consequences of making such a mistake. Therefore, he has now understood and become more cautious, and I hope he will never leave us," he said. (ANI)
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