Our doors open for discussion if Pilot is upset about something: Congress

Jaipur: Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Monday said that issues within a family must be resolved with the members by sitting together and finding a solution. Reacting to the ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan, Sujrewala said that the party’s doors are always open Sachin Pilot or any other member.

“If anyone is upset in family, they should find a solution by sitting with members of the family. On behalf of Congress leadership, including Sonia ji and Rahul ji, I convey that doors of Congress party are always open for Sachin ji or any member,” Surjewala said on Monday.

He also said that over the last 48 hours, the Congress leadership has spoken to Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot a number of times about the present political situation in the state.

“If anyone, be at any post or profile, has any problem, they must come forward and mention the issue on the party forum. We will work to resolve it together and keep our government intact in the state,” Sujrewala added.

Amid the ongoing political tussle in Rajasthan, a close aide of Pilot told HT that the deputy chief minister is unlikely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.

According to Pilot’s supporters, the deputy CM had raised issues against the functioning of chief minister Gehlot over the past fortnight. “His concerns were not addressed,” said a party leader considered close to Pilot.

The political turmoil in Rajasthan intensified with chief minister Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot at loggerheads. While Gehlot has blamed the BJP for trying to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs, Pilot is camping in Delhi to speak to the party leadership regarding the political turmoil in the state.

The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) had issued a whip to its MLAs to attend a legislature meeting in Jaipur today, stating that they will face disciplinary action on skipping the meeting without mentioning a reason.

Congress has 107 MLAs in Rajasthan assembly and the Gehlot government is supported by 10 Independent MLAs and two each from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Tribal Party. The BJP has 72 seats in the 200-member Assembly.

As many as 30 Congress MLAs and some independent legislators who are in touch with Sachin Pilot have pledged their support to him. The Congress, however, has maintained that a total of “109 MLAs have signed a letter expressing their trust and support to a government led by CM Ashok Gehlot”.