Nikamma, Naakara, Gaddar: How Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Has Lashed Out At Sachin Pilot, Read All About Tussle

Gehlot and Pilot stood next to each other and said the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' will be successful in Rajasthan. The Yatra will enter Rajasthan on December 4.?

"The party is supreme for us. We want the party to forge ahead and regain its glory. There is an atmosphere of tension in the country and it is a huge challenge. But the success of the yatra shows that people fully support the issues raised by Rahul Gandhi," said Gehlot, as per NDTV.

NDTV quoted Pilot as saying that Rahul "will be welcomed with maximum enthusiasm and energy in Rajasthan".

Gehlot also repeated Rahul's earlier comment that both Gehlot and Pilots are assets for the Congress party.

"When Rahul Gandhi has said that our leaders are assets, then we are assets...Where is the dispute then," said Gehlot, as per PTI.

Gehlot and Pilot are lodged in a tussle for a long time which has spilled over in public comments and gestures in recent weeks.

What's the Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot tussle?

The tussle betwene Rajasthan Chief Minister and fellow Congress leader Sachin Pilot is rooted in Pilot's rebellion in 2020.

In 2020, Pilot was the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan and was also holding the post of Rajasthan Congress chief. While holding these two posts, Pilot rebelled along with his loyalist MLAs and camped out of state. Pilot's rebellion failed and he eventually returned to the Congress folds but he was removed as the Deputy CM and state party chief.

During the rebellion, Gehlot lashed out sharply at Pilot and called him "nikamma" (worthless) and "naakaara" (useless).?

"I knew he is worthless and useless and he is doing nothing but makning people fight...I don't want that it appears in Delhi that people in Rajasthan are only fighting. I taught everyone how to respect Rajasthan Congress Pradesh Committee chief [Pilot]. When he comes, we should stand up. He is younger [as state party chief] but the post is bigger. I taught this to everyone, gave all the respect [to Pilot]. Then such a person stabs Congress in the back," said Gehlot in 2020 when Pilot's rebellion was on.

Though the rebellion got over, the tussle between the two leaders has continued and Gehlot has expressed his displeasure regarding Pilot publicly.

Outlook earlier reported that Pilot was promised that the post of chief minister would be alternated between him and Gehlot. But that did not happen.

"In 2018, after Congress came to power in Rajasthan, Pilot was promised that the job of Chief Minister would be shared between him and Gehlot. While Gehlot was sworn in as the Chief Minister, Pilot was appointed as his deputy. Unhappy with the post, Pilot rebelled in 2020 along with his 18 loyalist MLAs," reported Outlook.

Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot tussle recently

The recent round of the tussle between Gehlot and Pilot came to the fore during the run-up to the Congress presidential elections.?

Gehlot loyalist MLAs defied the party high command's diktat and boycotted the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting and held a parallel meeting of their own. It was understood at the time that the Congress high command wanted Gehlot to contest the party chief's election and, once he would have become party chief, wanted Pilot to replace Gehlot as Rajasthan CM as Gehlot could not have been on two posts under the party's one person-one post rule.?

However, the defiance of Gehlot loyalists foiled this plan and Gehlot walked out of the contest.

Sachin Pilot is traitor, can't be CM: Ashok Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called Pilot a ?"traitor" last week and said such a per cannot be made CM.

"A gaddar (traitor) cannot be Chief Minister. The High Command cannot make Sachin Pilot the Chief Minister. A man who doesn't have 10 MLAs. Who revolted. He betrayed the party, (he) is a traitor," said Gehlot in an interview with NDTV and added that Pilot's rebellion would have been the first in India when a state party chief would have brought down the party's government.

Pilot reacted to Gehlot's comments and called them "completely unnecessary".

"Ashok Gehlot has called me incompetent, traitor and has made lots of allegations. These allegations are completely unnecessary at a time we need to put up a united fight against BJP…It is unbecoming for such a senior leader to say such things at a time like this," NDTV quoted Pilot as saying.

Congress high-command reaction, show of unity

Following Gehlot's statement on Pilot in which he called him a traitor, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that both Gehlot and Pilot are assets to the party.

Rahul on Monday said, "It will not affect the yatra and both the leaders are assets to the Congress party."

In yet another sign of intervention by central party leadership, Congress communications head Jairam Ramesh said "certain words" used by Gehlot should not have been used. He also said the party needs both Gehlot and Pilot.

"Gehlot is our senior and experienced leader while Pilot is an energetic, young, and popular leader. The Congress needs both these leaders...There are some differences. (Rajasthan) Chief Minister has used certain words which were unexpected. I was surprised. Gehlot shouldn't have used certain words in the interview," said Ramesh, as per PTI.

Ramesh said the party will work to resolve the difference and make the two warring leades settle for a compromise if needed.

"We will find out a solution to the Rajasthan issue which will strengthen our organisation. For this, if we have to take tough decisions, we will take them. If a compromise has to be made (between the factions of Gehlot and Pilot), then it will be done," said Ramesh.

Following these comments by Rahul and Ramesh, Gehlot and Pilot on Tuesday appeared together speak on Bharat Jodo Yatra in a show of unity.

Earlier, a Gurjar group in Rajasthan had threatened to disrupt Bharat Jodo Yatra if Pilot was not made Rajasthan Chief Minister. Pilot belongs to the Gurjar community.

Pilot brushed aside the threat. He said, "No matter how hard the BJP tries, the yatra will be successful."