3 of Pilot's MLAS now say they will follow Congress line

Three Congress MLAs, who had left for Delhi and were being counted among those in Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot's camp in the power tussle in Rajasthan, on Sunday said they will follow the party line.

Addressing a press conference at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's home in Jaipur, Rohit Bohra, Danish Abrar and Chetan Dudi called themselves "soldiers" of the party and said they will do whatever the top leadership tells them.

The legislators said their visit to Delhi was a routine affair and the media should not speculate over it. They added that it was the media that had created the Ashok Gehlot group and the Sachin Pilot group.

"We are with the Congress party which gave us tickets. The media trial, which is going on, has no sense. We are soldiers of the party and will remain so for lifetime," Bohra said.

He said they had long association with the Congress and the media should not indulge in speculation.

Taking a taking a swipe at the media, Danish Abrar said: "I have been going to Delhi since childhood. Visiting Delhi is a normal affair, but, this time, it was made special."

He underlined that Sachin Pilot is the deputy chief minister and the Rajasthan Congress president and, therefore, meeting or talking to him is also a normal thing.

"We are the soldiers of the Congress party at any cost," he said.

The three legislators, who were in Delhi on Saturday, held the joint press conference with state ministers Harish Chaudhary, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Raghu Sharma.

They asserted that the Congress government would complete its five year term.

Chetan Dudi said they have full faith in the leadership of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Asked about the rift between Gehlot and Pilot, Dudi said it was the media that is speculating.

"There can be differences in any party, but when it comes about the interest of the party, all remain united under the party flag," he said.

"Congress gave us tickets and we are with the Congress party. We remain with the decision of the party high command and it is the media which talks about groups," Dudi said.

Bohra said none of them had been approached by the BJP, wondering why would the MLAs not have confidence in Gehlot when the Congress legislature party had elected its leader.

Revenue Minister Harish Chaudhary said all the party MLAs would attend the Congress legislature party meeting on Monday.

Health Minister Raghu Sharma alleged that the BJP was trying to topple the state government, but the Congress was alert.

He said all the party MLAs are united and have confidence in Gehlot's leadership.