Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday criticised Congress leader Sachin Pilot and stated that the incidents that unfolded in September 2022 were not a revolt against the party high command but an indication of strong disagreement among the MLAs against Pilot's elevation as the CM.
The senior Congress leader alleged that Pilot's associates were responsible for creating a perception that the MLAs supporting him had revolted against the Congress high command, leaving him with a bad reputation.
Gehlot was speaking about the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting that was called in Jaipur on September 25, 2022, to discuss the leadership of the Rajasthan government if Gehlot were to be elected president of the party.
Several MLAs close to Gehlot did not attend the meeting and opposed any move to make Pilot the chief minister.
Gehlot on Sunday said that he was in line to become the Congress President, but such a situation unfolded that appeared to be a conspiracy, and he ended up with a bad reputation.
However, he felt sorry in front of Sonia Gandhi for not being able to get a resolution passed in the CLP meeting.
"It is repeatedly asked what happened on September 25. There can never be a revolt against the high command," he said, adding that the incident was against "Sachin Pilot, whose name was being circulated" that he could take oath as the chief minister.
He said the MLAs' stance was that they had demonstrated loyalty to the high command.
They stayed confined in hotels and saved the government.
"They wanted any of them to be appointed as the chief minister and they would accept it, but Pilot was unacceptable to them because he was the one who took his MLAs to Manesar," he said.
Pilot, who was serving as the deputy chief minister in the Gehlot government, had rebelled against his leadership in 2020.
It is alleged that he and some MLAs stayed in Haryana's Manesar.
The rebellion led to a political crisis in the state, which the party leadership resolved through intervention.
Gehlot had alleged that it was a conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP to topple his government, using Pilot and other MLAs as pawns.
In September 2022, a CLP meeting was called in Jaipur to discuss the leadership of the Rajasthan government if Gehlot were to be elected president of the Congress party.
Sachin Pilot was considered the top runner to replace him.
But MLAs loyal to Gehlot did not attend the meeting.
Instead, they held a parallel meeting and went to Assembly Speaker C P Joshi's residence to submit their mass resignations.
Gehlot said there was no question of rebellion against the Congress high command.
"Sonia Gandhi had offered me the chief minister's post three times without me even asking for it. I was in line to become the Congress President, and I am not uneducated. I am well-educated. If Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party were making me Congress President, would I have refused?" he asked.
"The situation that unfolded...I feel it was a conspiracy. AICC observers arrived suddenly, a spectacle ensued, and I ended up with a bad reputation," he said.
"People believe that Ashok Gehlot wanted to remain the chief minister rather than become Congress president, and that is why the revolt happened. How do I explain it to them?" he said.
"The media spread this narrative, and I remained silent," Gehlot said.
Gehlot said he stayed silent because he needed to convey to Sonia Gandhi that he was the leader of the Legislature Party, and AICC observers had arrived.
He added that he was unable to get the resolution passed and "expressing his regret to her", he "apologised" for the situation that had arisen.
Asserting that truth has no alternative, Gehlot said, "I have placed the truth before everyone and will continue to do so."
He said that historically the Congress high command had maintained strong trust in the Rajasthan unit.
He alleged that the perception of revolt against the party high command was created by Pilot's associates, which was incorrect.
He said that when the party high command decides to change a chief minister, a majority of MLAs tend to align with the one who is going to become the new chief minister.
"Whenever the high command decides that the chief minister should be replaced, 90 per cent of the MLAs who were previously with the incumbent chief minister switch their allegiance to the new one. What was the reason that when the new chief minister's name began circulating -- whether floated by Pilot's associates -- MLAs did not go to him," he said.
"Sachin Pilot needs to understand this. He has been in politics for about 15-20 years now. He has gained considerable experience. We are not his enemies. I used to visit his family since his childhood," he said.
Pilot made a mistake, and he should acknowledge it.
He has not learned to accept the truth, which is why this issue persists, he said, adding that he does not want this issue to persist.
Gehlot said, today, the Congress is in crisis, the country is in crisis.
Only Congress can save the country and all leaders of the party should be united for this.
The former chief minister said that he had helped Pilot become a union minister in the UPA government, but he never acknowledged this help.
He is no longer chasing any post, Gehlot said, adding that "it would be a different matter if a position were to come my way unsolicited. I am not vying for any post."
Serving as chief minister three times is no small feat, he said, adding that his message is "Do not erase my line. Instead, draw a line longer than mine."
As for who becomes the chief minister and who does not, it is a matter of the future, he said.
He said that whether it is Pilot, PCC President Govind Singh Dotasra, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully or any other leader, all should work together.
Gehlot said that the party leader Rahul Gandhi recently praised Dotasra and the Jully unit during his visit to the training camp in Pushkar.
(With inputs from PTI)
