Never abused Gehlotji, he is elder to me: Pilot on CM's ‘nikamma’ remark

Congress leader and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who has agreed to mend fences with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after meeting Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi on Monday, has said that he bears no will against Gehlot and has never called him names.

After Pilot rebelled against his leadership, Gehlot went ballistic against him, hurling expletives at him, from stating that speaking English and being handsome isn’t everything to calling him ‘nikkamma’ (useless) and ‘nakara’ (idle).

Pilot on the other hand said, he has chosen his words properly, never using abusive language against the chief minister.

“I imbibed certain values from my family, no matter how much I oppose anyone, I’ve never used such language. Ashok Gehlot ji is elder to me and I respect him personally, but I have the right to raise work-related concerns,” Pilot told mediapersons when asked about the ‘nikamma’ remark.

“I harbour no wish to have a post, these things come and go. We need to work in the direction of strengthening the public’s confidence and trust in us,” Pilot added.

Gehlot, however, evaded questions when asked how he will work with something he had called a ‘nikamma’.

He instead trained his guns at the BJP whom he blamed for trying to break the Congress.

“They were with me all along. The BJP tried every trick in the book, but failed to break us. They were offered money, posts, but they did not leave. I have told these MLAs, till I am alive, I will always be their guardian and look after them,” NDTV quoted Gehlot as talking about his 100-odd MLAs camped in Jaisalmer.

Pilot on Monday ended his rebellion after meeting Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and is expected to return to Jaipur on Tuesday.