In a show of unity, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on November 24 posted a video on social media platforms in which his former Deputy Sachin Pilot is making an appeal to people to vote for the Congress. Polling for the Rajasthan Assembly will take place on November 25.
The video post assumes significance as the Pilot-Gehlot power tussle has found frequent mention in the campaigning for the Rajasthan Assembly polls with the Prime Minister also referring to it.
Mr. Gehlot posted the 1.51 minute video of Mr. Pilot on his social media platforms X, Facebook and Instagram.
In the video, Mr. Pilot is seen making an appeal to people to vote for the Congress, saying the feedback, public response and inclination of the voters clearly shows that his party is going to again form the government in the State.
“We have held hundreds of meetings as part of the election campaign but there are some areas where we have not been able to reach even after trying, hence my humble appeal to you is to take everyone along, to maintain the pace of development of the State. To maintain the Congress' way of functioning, it is necessary that we forget all the things and press the button on the hand symbol and make all the Congress candidates win,” he said.
“I want to appeal to make Congress candidates win in all the assembly constituencies where I have not been able to go,” Mr. Pilot said.
He continued that the victory will be the victory of the people of Congress. “We will not let BJP's plan to stop the Congress government's schemes after forming the government succeed,” he added.
Mr. Gehlot and Mr. Pilot have been at loggerheads over the post of Chief Minister ever since the Congress formed government in December 2018, which also made Mr. Pilot to resort to rebellion against Mr. Gehlot's leadership in 2020 that led to a political crisis.
However, ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections, the party said things have been sorted out and both the leaders said the past should be forgotten. During his poll campaign on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress for its treatment of Sachin Pilot.
“A Gurjar’s son who gave his life to the Congress was removed like a fly in milk after the party came to power in Rajasthan,” he said. PM Modi had also accused of punishing Sachin Pilot by meting out the same treatment to him as was done to his father, saying anyone who speaks the truth in the grand old party is shunted out of politics and suggesting that Rajesh Pilot lost favour with the Congress leadership after he contested against Sitaram Kesri for the party president’s post in 1997.
Reacting to PM Modi's comments, Sachin Pilot had said that there is no need for anyone other than his party and the people to worry about him. He said his father was a dedicated Congressman throughout his life and the Prime Minister's statements were far from the truth and aimed at diverting people's attention.
The Gurjar community has influence in eastern Rajasthan districts where the Congress had won a majority of seats in the last Assembly elections. Polling in 199 out of 200 Assembly constituencies in Rajasthan will be take place on Saturday and counting will be held on December 3.
Election on Karanpur seat has been adjourned due to the demise of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar.
