JAIPUR: Sachin Pilot ended his five-day padyatra in Jaipur on Monday on an aggressive note by giving an ultimatum to CM Ashok Gehlot to agree to the three major demands by the month-end or face a state-wide stir. He was flanked by 15 Congress MLAs and two ministers of the Gehlot government.
Apart from a call for a high-level probe into corruption against the former Vasundhara Raje government, Pilot’s two other demands include disbanding the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and its reconstitution, and compensation for those affected by the cancellation of government recruitment exams after paper leaks.
Speaking to his supporters, Pilot also reiterated that he should not be confined by any limits and that he does not belong to any specific caste or religion or society. He proclaimed, “I am the son of all communities and the son of Rajasthan.” Critics have accused Pilot of mainly representing the Gujjar community, and questions have also been raised about his native status in Rajasthan.
Minister Hemaram Choudhary, who attended Pilot’s march, retaliated against CM Gehlot’s allegations that he and other pro-Pilot MLAs had taken bribes from the BJP amounting to Rs 10-20 crore to topple the Gehlot government in 2020. Minister Hema Ram Choudhary also argued that “if indeed the MLAs who had gone with Pilot in the rebellion of 2020 had taken money, CM Ashok Gehlot should take action against them.”
Following the Congress’s victory in the Karnataka elections, Pilot’s ultimatum has presented a new challenge to the party. Speculations arose that the high command might attempt to reconcile Pilot and Gehlot before the Assembly elections.