Gehlot-Pilot tussle in Rajasthan: Congress says all is well
Amid an ongoing power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, and his bete noire, Sachin Pilot, the AICC general secretary, K C Venugopal, on Friday (December 16) said, “everything will be resolved smoothly,” and the party is very much united in the state.
In an interview with PTI, Venugopal also exuded confidence that the Congress would win the Rajasthan assembly polls next year and return to power.
His remarks come after a major row erupted last month following Gehlot’s comments that Pilot is a gaddar (traitor) and cannot replace him.
The remarks drew a sharp response from Pilot who said it was unbecoming of Gehlot’s stature to use that kind of language and that such “mud-slinging” would not help at a time when the focus should be on the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Asked about the row and whether the differences between Gehlot and Pilot would be resolved, Venugopal, who is participating in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “Everything will be resolved smoothly.”
The party is very much united and working together, the AICC general secretary, organization, said.
“We will win definitely, our chances are very bright,” he said, referring to the Rajasthan Assembly polls next year.
Show of unity
The escalation of the Gehlot-Pilot rift just ahead of the entry of the yatra into the desert state had put the party in a spot, but Venugopal’s visit to the state last week calmed tempers. In a show of unity, both Pilot and Gehlot posed for the cameras along with the AICC general secretary.
Talking about the yatra completing 100 days, Venugopal on Friday said there was tremendous momentum for the foot march, and people had been welcoming it everywhere.
“The issues raised by this yatra are not political issues, they are issues concerning the people. The issue of unemployment, the entire youth of the country is disappointed, the price rise is at its peak, and the central government is misusing agencies to target people,” Venugopal said.
The BJP’s divisive politics only for winning elections has created a big division in this country, and at such a time, the Congress is undertaking this massive yatra to unite people, he said.
Also Read: What Rahul said about Gehlot-Pilot tussle
‘Bharat Jodo Yatra has electrified Congress cadre’Â
Asked if the yatra would yield electoral gains, Venugopal said this was not aimed at an electoral impact, but added that in the field, the yatra will definitely have an impact.
“This yatra has electrified our entire cadre. Our workers are now charged. We are going for a massive follow-up programme from January 26 onwards from booth level upwards. This will certainly have an impact on the coming elections,” he said.
The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has traversed eight states – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and now, Rajasthan.
It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri, and Amol Palekar.
Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans including former Navy chief, Admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.
(With inputs from Agencies)
