Rajasthan Politics – Ashok Gehlot Vs Sachin Pilot

        Photo Courtesy - Wikipedia

2018, this was a confusion as whom to be made CM, Pilot or Gehlot. Youngsters were in favor of Pilot, but Congress selected Gehlot may be for some internal reasons. Similar case was there in MP as well where Kamalnath was selected the CM. There was an old battle between old guard and young brigade in Congress. To make the public understand, Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi snapped with both Gehlot and Pilot to show a friendliness among the Congress party.

2020, the differences were not resolved but were risen. 11^th July 2020, BJP offering 25 crores to Congress MLAs. Same in Karnataka and MP. Audio tapes also released in that favor. 16-17 MLAs shifted to BJP and BJP finally created the government in Karnataka. Kamalnath says 20-30 crore offer by BJP. There would nothing be wrong in saying that BJP offering heavy money to MLAs. But at the same time looking at the story from BJP perspective would also be not correct. There are internal politics in the Congress party.

11^th July 2020, special operations group of Rajasthan arrested 2 people with links to BJP on the offering bribe to Congress politicians. Same day Rajasthan police sent notice to Pilot and other MLAs to record their statement regarding this charge. Sources say that because of all these reasons, Pilot was unhappy and he along with his 15-16 MLAs went to Haryana and they stayed in a hotel. Speculations made in as Pilot would is in touch with JP Nadda and would soon be joining BJP but that did not happen. Pilot stated that he has no intent to join BJP. 12^th July 2020, Gehlot called a press meet to declare that 109 MLAs are in support of Gehlot. Whereas Pilot stated that he has a support of 30 MLAs which can break the government. 200 seats in Rajasthan. 101 is the majority mark for any party to come to power. Congress won 107 and BJP 72 in 2018. 13 by independent. Congress claimed that independent were in favor of Congress. 13^th July 2020, Congress called up a meeting for all MLAs and it was said that whoever cannot make it would be subjected to a disciplinary action. Pilot and his supporters did not turn up for the meeting. 14^th July 2020, one more meeting held and there as well Pilot and his supporters did not turn up. After regular absence in the meeting Pilot was removed as the deputy CM and as President of the Congress party for Rajasthan. The loyal ministers who were in support of Pilot also were sacked. The Speaker then sent a notice to 19 MLAs who were supporting Pilot to give their explanation as to why they should not be terminated after being regularly not attending the meetings. This notice was sent in accordance with the anti-defection law which can lead to disqualification of these MLAs. After this Pilot came out and spoke to the media saying that he and his supporters did not have any intent to join BJP. He also stated that it would be wrong to disqualify them as they did not have done anything wrong and finally, he landed up in the high court to challenge the cause.

Who wants this?

According to rule, any disqualified MLA can become minister if any only if he can contest election and win the election. But yes, if he resigns and ally with any party to show the majority, then there is nothing which can stop them from be a minister. This is what exactly happened in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. The Congress MLAs resigned the Congress party and joined the BJP and subsequently they got their respective ministry.

If we talk from Gehlot’s perspective, he wants the 19 MLAs to be disqualified because the total number of seat counts would then be 181 and the majority mark would be 88. In this instance Congress would want only 3 MLAs to prove the majority to 91. But if the 19 MLAs of Congress will join BJP, then BJP will have count of 72+19+3(allies) = 94. And Congress strength would be 88. Here the 13 independent MLAs will be the decision maker of whether BJP of Congress will make the government. Ashok Gehlot will want the 19 MLAs to be disqualified and those 19 MLAs do not want their disqualifications at any cost and hence they are fighting in high court.

Gehlot Vs Pilot

Sources say that after loosing the election in 2013 in Rajasthan, it was Pilot who worked in regaining the trust of people and finally he made it up for the Congress to form the government. But at the same time media says that the people of Rajasthan change the party every five years and that is what was seen in 2018. Congress swept the majority. In the second thought, sources also say that Gehlot having more experience helped the Congress to win the election in 2018. The role of BJP also has a major role as they wanted Vasundhara Raje to be removed as Vasudhara Raje was not respecting Modi and Amit Shah.

Rajasthan police intercepted audio in which there were conversations of the BJP trying to bribe the MLAs with proofs. Two people were also arrested. It was also revealed by some sources that Pilot is becoming greedy. MP in 26 years, Union Minister in 32 years, Rajasthan Congress President in 36 years and Deputy CM in 40 years. The greed is making him take such action to go to high court.

My View – I think Pilot is a young blood and has decent experience in the government. If at all he leaves the Congress party, he should form a different party and stand for re-election. Also, the party should have young bloods in majority. When a party of youngsters would form the government, there are high chances of betterment of governance and outcomes.