THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While there is pressure from the party on Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to take up the Congress president post or not, his nemesis Sachin Pilot flew down to Kochi to express his solidarity to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The 45-year -old Sachin Pilot is a regular visitor to Kerala and has a bevy of supporters in the state among youth. In a quick interview with TNIE, Pilot said he is not worried whether Ashok Gehlot would shift to New Delhi or not.
How come you are in Kerala when Congress politics is in turmoil in Rajasthan?
I just keep finding an excuse to come to Kerala. Also, I love walking. On Wednesday, I walked 24km along with Rahulji’s padayatra. Since the Legislative Assembly session is ongoing in Rajasthan, I have to return.
Your experience being part of Bharat Jodo Yatra.
It is a historic endeavour being undertaken by Rahulji with the objective of giving a thrust against the plight of all those forces who are trying to break the constitutional bodies, harmony and acrimonious actions. This is to get people together and spread the message of peace, harmony and togetherness. The response has been really overwhelming. I was there in Kanyakumari, too, from where the padayatra was kicked off. It’s really a humbling experience to witness the responses from the people of Kerala.
How challenging is it for Congress to convert the mass support being generated from the yatra into votes?
It is not a political yatra to get votes. It’s a message of harmony. Some are trying to dismantle the institutions and harmony of democracy. But I’m certain that ultimately the benefits will come to Congress and it’s not a purely political exercise. Our aim is to energise the workers to make sure that we connect with them. The yatra could have been done in a truck or a bus or in some other way. However, we have decided to reach out to people directly. Also, it is something which no other had done in the last 70 years. So Congress will definitely get the benefit from the yatra. However, we are here not as a Congressman, but as responsible citizens to speak up and clear our stand when things are going wrong on our economy, social harmony, caste and religion.
Are you under pressure about what is there in store for you in Rajasthan? Will you become the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan if he takes over Congress president’s post?
I am here to participate in Bharat Jodo Yatra and there is no pressure on me. We are working to win Rajasthan elections. In the last 30 years, the Congress has never been able to win for the second consecutive term. It has always been a Congress-BJP-Congress-BJP cycle. We have to make sure that we win this time again.
I’ve conveyed my feedback to the AICC leadership, which will take a final decision. However, our objective is to ensure that the Congress government returns to power. Meanwhile, the Congress president election has been declared where the nomination will start on September 24. Around 9,200 delegates will elect the president. Almost 10 -12 states have already passed resolutions hoping to see Rahulji emerging as the Congress president. It’s up to him to take a final decision on whether to contest or not.
Is Gehlot in fray for the post of Congress president?
I can’t answer for him. Let’s see what’s going to happen in the next few days. Central Election Committee chairman Madhusudan Mistry has said that anyone can file nominations on September 24. It’s a fair and open election. No other political party in India has ever undertaken such an exercise. I don’t know how BJP national president J P Nadda got elected and who voted for him. In the Congress, we have a system. When Mrs Gandhi was elected there was an election process and she came up unopposed. Being the oldest party in India, the Congress has the responsibility to carry its value system. It’s good for the party and also for democracy.
Do you think Rahul may change his mind since a dozen states clamouring for him to take up the party mantle?
I can’t say that. The important thing is that it is Rahulji’s decision on whether he should contest or not. He had stepped down from the Congress president post taking up the moral responsibility on the 2019 poll debacle. Now he is leading from the front in Parliament and in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. He is well aware of what the party leaders want.