JAIPUR/NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday sacked Sachin Pilot from the posts of Rajasthan deputy CM and state party chief and dropped two other cabinet ministers from the Ashok Gehlot government "for falling in the trap of BJP's designs" to topple the state government.
"It is with heavy heart that it has been decided to remove Sachin Pilot as deputy CM, state chief and other responsibilities he holds in the government," announced Congress media in-charge RS Surjewala after the Rajasthan legislature party passed a resolution to initiate disciplinary action against the young leader.
The party also said that two of his close aide and cabinet ministers Vishvendra Singh Bharatpur and Ramesh Meena were removed as ministers.
The party named OBC leader and Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasara as the new state chief.
After the legislature party meeting, Gehlot went to meet Rajasthan Governor to submit a list of MLAs supporting him in the house of 200 assembly seats.
"The efforts to reach out to Pilot failed as repeated calls made to reach out to him to come and attend the legislature party meeting were not answered. The decision to sack him was taken after it was approved by Congress high command," said a senior Congress leader.
Pilot, along with few Congress MLAs, has been camping in Delhi. He was demanding that he should continue as Congress chief in Rajasthan or CM's post.
The trouble between Gehlot and Pilot has been for long. But a recent notice issued to Pilot by Rajasthan Police for questioning regarding efforts to destabilise the government, seems to be the last blow.
Pilot has been upset since he was denied the Rajasthan chief minister's post after the December 2018 assembly elections.
Pilot and his supporters claimed to have the backing of 30 Congress MLAs and some independents.
The Ashok Gehlot camp has claimed that 109 MLAs, both of the Congress and others, are in support of the government.
In the 200-member assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs and the BJP 72.
(With agency inputs)