JAIPUR: A day after Rajasthan Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ashok Chandna was heckled at a Gujjar community gathering in Ajmer, he alleged the role of Sachin Pilot and his supporters for the protest against him.
The minister dared the Pilot camp with a “direct fight,” saying either of them would survive such a “duel.”
The rift within the state Congress party has deepened in recent weeks as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is tipped to take over as the state party chief and shift from Rajasthan. The Pilot camp is lobbying hard for the CM’s chair in case Gehlot moves to New Delhi.
The differences between the rival camps involving Gehlot and Pilot were simmering over sometime. These came out in the open in Pushkar in Ajmer on Monday evening.
Reports said as soon as Gehlot supporters and the sports and youth affairs minister reached the stage to deliver a speech, sections of the crowd started protesting, throwing shoes and bottles.
They also raised pro-Pilot slogans.
Though the police and others pacified the Pilot supporters, Chandna had to stop his speech midway.Chandna soon poured out his anger on his Twitter handle.
“If Sachin Pilot becomes the CM by throwing shoes at me, then be ready… The day I come to fight, then only one will be left and this is not what I want,” Chandna said in a tweet.
When state Industries Minister Shakuntala Rawat came to deliver her speech, protests began as Pilot supporters did not want her to speak. Pilot, Chandna and Rawat come from the Gujjar community with Pilot enjoying strong influence over the Gujjar vote bank in the state.
A week back, 21 MLAs and ministers participated in a show of strength on Sachin’s birthday in Jaipur.
Many pro-Sachin supporters demand that he should be the CM. Curiously, Pilot has kept silent over the Congress president’s election and rumours about Gehlot being offered the job.
The notification for the election of the Congress chief will be issued on Sept 22 and the results will be out on October 19.
Pilot keeps mum on Congress president election
A week back, 21 MLAs and ministers participated in a show of strength on Sachin’s birthday in Jaipur. Many pro-Sachin supporters demand that he should be the CM.
Curiously, Pilot has kept silent over the Congress president’s election and rumours about CM Gehlot being offered the job.