Farmers Movement Archive

Congress brings Ashok Gehlot, Pilot together for assembly bypolls

JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot travelled together for the first time since the revolt by the latter in July last year to jointly address Congress’s political rallies on Saturday. As bypolls for four assembly seats are getting closer, the Congress state unit is trying to project a united face by bringing Gehlot and Pilot together. The poll dates are yet to be announced, but the party has already launched its election campaign. The two leaders appealed to people at farmer rallies in Bikaner and Chittorgarh districts to vote for Congress. A photo of Gehlot, Pilot, AICC general secretary Ajay Maken and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra ready to fly together in a chopper for the Kisan Sammelan near Sridungargarh in Bikaner was shared on social media early morning to convey that all was well in the state unit. People were, however, quick to question if the ‘smiling faces’ portrayed a genuine solidarity. So far, Pilot had been addressing farmer rallies separately organised by MLAs close to him. Pilot’s demand for a greater participation of ‘Congress workers’ in the governance by making state-level political appointments and cabinet reshuffle/expansion has been getting postponed ever since his reconciliation with Gehlot brokered by the Congress central leadership in August last year. With bypolls approaching and Gujjars having a significant presence in two of the four seats up for grabs, the Congress state unit has been taking some conciliatory steps of late. The decision, early this week, to withdraw a special leave petition in Supreme Court challenging a high court order to stay action on disqualification of Pilot and his 18 loyal MLAs was part of the conciliation strategy, said party sources. Sites for political rallies in the name of Kisan Sammelan were selected to cover the nearby assembly seats where bypolls are due. Sujangarh in Churu, Sahara in Bhilwara, Vallabnagar in Udaipur and Rajsamand would have bypolls as their sitting MLAs died of illness. Gehlot remembered the four deceased MLAs, including Kiran Maheshwari who was a BJP MLA, in his speeches to seek votes for Congress. “BJP has around 70-72 MLAs. Even if it gets one or two more in the bypolls, that will just increase its numbers. But if you make Congress win all four seats, not only will our government be strengthened but the officials from top to bottom will also realise that the people are with Congress and would work efficiently to address your grievances,” he said at Matrikundiya in Chittorgarh district. He did not miss the opportunity to target BJP for “killing” Gujjars during quota agitations under the previous Vasundhara Raje government. “Ninety people, including 70 Gujjars, were killed in police firing under the Raje government. But our subsequent government handled the protests without resorting to even a lathi-charge,” Gehlot said. Gehlot and Pilot both targeted the BJP-led Centre on the three controversial farm laws. “Farmers protested in the open in shivering cold, but the Centre was stubborn and is still not listening to them. How can Modi ji and Amit Shah ji sleep at night when the farmers are protesting?” the CM said. Pilot said, “Modi ji promised to double the farmers’ income but has instead thrust on them the three farm laws made to fill pockets of a few people.”

The Times of India

2021-02-28

Jaipur