100-24: Round one goes to Gehlot, but Pilot refuses to throw in the towel

On Monday, the Rajasthan Congress called a press conference at what is called the graveyard hour: 2:30 am. The message from the Congress leaders was clear: we have 109 legislators, the Ashok Gehlot government is safe and the grave of Sachin Plot’s rebellion has been dug.

Politics is a game of deception and hyperboles. So, numbers given out by rival camps during power struggles are rarely taken on face value. So, when legislators started reaching the CM residence in Jaipur’s Civil Lines area, a large contingent of media was waiting to see if the graveyard hour claim is true. It was destined to be a long wait, and a slow burn.

The Congress legislative meeting was scheduled to begin at 10:30 am. But, a good half hour after the scheduled time, there were nervous faces in the Congress camp as the numbers stood at a paltry 60. But, by 11:30 the mood began to change as the trickle turned into a tide.

At last count, unofficially conducted by the media, around 100 members were present at the CM residence, leaving around two dozen for Pilot. These 100 included ten independent legislators, two MLAs from a regional party and the one from the CPM. In the 200-member assembly, 100 is a number that guarantees survival of the government. If it doesn’t change, Gehlot will live to fight another political battle.

The previous night the Pilot camp had claimed the support of 30 legislators. But, some of the names on the MLAs on his list were seen at Gehlot’s residence the next morning, suggesting that this round may go to Gehlot. One reason cited by analysts for the lower-than-claimed support for Pilot is the theory that some legislators are keen only on changing the chief minister, and averse to joining the BJP or forming a regional party.

Politics is a game of shifting loyalties. Among the last to arrive was Jaipur MLA and cabinet minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas. Till a few months ago, Khachariyawas—nephew of BJP stalwart Bhairon Singh Shekhawat—was the flag bearer of the Pilot camp. But, on Monday, he was roaring in favour of Gehlot and calling everyone who betrays the party a traitor. “We are with the Congress, believe in the symbol on which we contested and won the election. Those running to the BJP for money have no self-respect and loyalty,” Khachariyawas said.

How the times change! While Khachariyawas was reprimanding his erstwhile boss, on cue, a few kilometres from the CM residence, angry workers were pulling down Pilot’s posters from the party headquarters. The face that was the centre of the Congress campaign in 2018 was soon adorning the pavement outside the party office. The new writing on the Congress wall is this: Pilot could soon be shown the door and sacked as deputy CM and state Congress chief.

The trend may be favouring Gehlot for the moment. But, the battle isn’t over yet. Over the next few days, there will be many twists and turns in the ongoing political battle in Rajasthan. A series of I-T department raids on Gehlot’s close aide Rajiv Arora, a mild-mannered businessman who has been with the CM for almost five decades, and a five-star hotel linked on the Jaipur-Delhi highway indicate the fight is going to get ugly over the next few days.

In all likelihood, politicians, journalists and probe agencies will have to work many graveyard shifts before the clear winner emerges.