Chief On A Gum Tree

The Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot rift shows no sign of healing

- Salik Ahmad

EVEN if the party remains in a mode of absolute denial, there have been enough evidences of discord between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who is also the president of the state Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC). Every once in a while blisters of disagreements have erupted on the surface, either in the form of sly remarks from either of the two leaders, or direct sniping from partymen of their respective camps.

The latest in this continuum of verbal skirmishes are the comments of a Raj as­ than legislator, Prithviraj Meena, who said that Pilot should replace Geh lot as chief minister. “We got the majority [in assembly polls] because of Sachin Pilot. Gehlot is not influential anymore. Jats, Gujjars, Meenas, everybody is angry. Who’s going to vote for us then?” said the Todabhim MLA to med ia persons, adding that both times Gehlot went to the polls as CM, the party finished with 56 and 21 seats in the assembly.