Is Sachin Pilot's protest against Vasundhara Raje and the previous BJP government in Rajasthan an attack on Ashok Gehlot? This question clouded Rajasthan politics as the former state deputy chief minister launched a day-long fast on Tuesday.

The Pilot camp has clarified that the demonstration is against the previous Vasundhara Raje government in the state and "not targeted at anyone else". Meanwhile, the Congress has said that it mainly opposed the sit-in protest as it objected to Pilot's remark against the Ashok Gehlot government.

The recent turn of events is now being seen as another point of the rift between Pilot and the Congress leadership. Speculations are rife that this is another attempt by Pilot to pressure the Congress high command to resolve the leadership issue.

In this regard, the timing of Pilot's dharna may hold significant with the Rajasthan assembly elections due this year — and both Gehlot and Pilot are involved in the occasional 'tu tu mai mai' (bickering) over the leadership issues.

First Published:Apr 11, 2023 5:26 PM IST

Sachin Pilot Vs Ashok Gehlot | The power tussle in Rajasthan and the challenge for Congress

Sachin Pilot Vs Ashok Gehlot: Not a new feud

This power tussle between the two Congress leaders is not new.

It has been three years since the rift between the two of them came out in the open.

Here's a look at how the feud between Gehlot and Pilot deepened, why both leaders are important for the Congress and what happens if the Congress decides to elect Sachin Pilot as Rajasthan's chief minister if the party returns to power.

How the feud between Gehlot and Pilot deepened?

Pilot's discontentment with the Congress high command and Ashok Gehlot was out in the open after the Congress won the 2018 Rajasthan assembly election, overthrowing the BJP rule in the state.Following the state polls, Ashok Gehlot was appointed the Rajasthan CM.

The former deputy chief minister said he felt he was "sidelined" within the party and the state government.

Later, in July 2020, Pilot and a section of Congress MLAs rebelled openly against Gehlot, bringing the state government on the verge of collapse.

They demanded a change of leadership in the state.Pilot's rebellion had then led to a month-long political crisis that ended after the party's high command's assurance to look into the issues raised by Pilot.

It was during that time that Pilot was removed from the post of deputy chief minister.

Pilot and Gehlot have been taunting each other since then.

Gehlot even used terms like “Gaddar”, “Nakara” and “Nikamma” for Pilot and accused him of being involved with the BJP leaders in a conspiracy to topple the Congress government.

Last year, another crisis hit the Congress government in Rajasthan ahead of the elections for the Congress chief's post.

It was speculated that the plan was to elect Gehlot as the AICC chief and Pilot as the Rajasthan chief minister.

However, the Congress's suspected plan ended in chaos after MLAs loyal to Gehlot revolted against his decision to step down from the CM post — further spilling over Pilot's aspiration to become the CM.

In this year's assembly election too, Pilot is likely to be the front-runner for the chief ministerial candidate of Congress.

However, he has faced resistance from the camp of Gehlot, with whom he continues to have bittersweet relations.

Clashing ambitions a challenge for Congress?

Both Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have high political ambitions which are known.

While Gehlot wants to pave the way for his family to take over, Pilot aims to be the chief minister of the state.

Ashok Gehlot first became the chief minister of Rajasthan in the 1990s.

He availed those five years in power to establish himself as a prominent Congress leader.

According to political analysts, Gehlot wants his successor to be a member of his family or retire with his own people in power.

He wants to promote his son — keeping up with the traditional of "dynasty politics".

Meanwhile, Sachin Pilot, who became Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief at a young age, aspires to leapfrog to the chief minister's role.

He believes that the Gehlot camp has to be replaced for Sachin to be in power.

Why Pilot and Gehlot are important for Congress?

Ashok Gehlot is an influential leader.

He is known as the Nehru-Gandhi loyalist and has an extensive political background.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha five times.

Moreover, Gehlot belongs to an Other Backward Class (OBC) community which seems to dominate the politics of the state.

Sachin Pilot, meanwhile, comes from a Gurjar community - which is not that prominent in the state but might be key to some pockets during elections.

He comes from a political family and his father, Rajesh Pilot, was very close to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Sachin Pilot, too, is said to have good relations with Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress wouldn't want to directly do away with Pilot because he may join the BJP or form his own party and support the BJP.

If the Gurjar vote goes away from Congress, it might give an edge to the BJP.

Why is Pilot protesting now?

Pilot held a day-long 'anshan' (fast) demanding that the Gehlot government in the state must take action over the corruption allegations against the Vasundhara Raje government.

During a press conference on Sunday, he argued that as the assembly polls are due this year, "the opponents can spread an illusion that there is some collusion (between the Gehlot and Raje)".

Objecting to Pilot's move, the Congress said any such protest against its sitting government clearly amounts to anti-party activity.

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of the state, said Pilot should have raised the issue with him first.

Several ministers and leader also downplayed Pilot's remarks.

A Rajasthan cabinet minister asked the party workers to not give support to those who are trying to sabotage the work done by the Ashok Gehlot government.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "It is wrong to say that a probe is not on, as an investigation is being carried out and if anyone has a complaint, he should bring it to the notice of the AICC in charge.".