Happy Congress took note of my issues, will fight polls unitedly, says Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday expressed happiness that the Congress party has taken cognisance of the issues raised by him about welfare of youth and corruption under the previous Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan, and asserted the party will contest the assembly polls unitedly to secure a massive victory.

Satisfied by the party's actions and assurances over the issues raised by him, Pilot also said he would abide by the decision of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on what role he would play going forward.

The Congress government in Rajasthan is "serious" and will take action against all the corruption that has taken place under the Bharatiya Janata Party rule, Pilot said.

His remarks came after Kharge, Gandhi, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, AICC in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Randhawa, state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra and other senior leaders from Rajasthan held crucial deliberations on the party's poll preparedness in Rajasthan. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is recovering from fractures in both his toes, attended the meeting via video conferencing.

Talking to reporters after the brainstorming session that lasted for about four hours, Pilot said a "meaningful and comprehensive" meeting was held for the strategy for the upcoming Rajasthan assembly elections and how to buck the trend of incumbent government being voted out of power.

"All issues were discussed with an open mind and I am happy to inform you that everyone expressed confidence that we will work hard over the next few months and repeat our government," he said.

"The issues that are there in Rajasthan, our government has worked on them, we will take those policies and programmes to the ground. Our organisation, leaders, MLAs and ministers will work unitedly and our objective is to repeat our government in Rajasthan," the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said.

Noting that in 2018, the Congress had won in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Pilot said this would be repeated this year and the Congress will form governments with a massive mandate. This will also have an impact on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he added.

Asked about the issues he has been raising and urging the Gehlot government in Rajasthan to act, Pilot said, "I  have been raising the issues of corruption of the previous BJP government, paper leaks, Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) reform, as to how to make it more transparent and accountable, and I am happy that the AICC has taken cognisance of them and also prepared an outline for action on that."

Pressed further on the issue, Pilot said, "I am happy that the Congress has taken note of issues of the youth, how to make our constitutional body of RPSC more accountable, and corruption of the previous BJP government, and the party has also given appropriate directions over them."

Pilot asserted that the BJP will have to answer for the alleged corruption under its rule. "There has been corruption and those who accuse us must look within. The government is serious and will take action against all the corruption that has taken place under the BJP rule," he said.

The Congress leader said that he believes that corruption affects all, and the Congress will make this an election issue.

Asked about what would be his role going forward, Pilot said all such answers have been given by the general secretary organisation Venugopal.

"Whatever responsibility, be it at the Centre or state, has been given to me in the last over two decades, I have discharged my duties with dedication. Whatever decision Khargeji, Rahulji, AICC take on my role, will work accordingly," he told reporters at the AICC headquarters here.

Addressing a press conference on the meeting, Venugopal said, "Sachin (Pilot) raised some issues, that are the general issues of the people of Rajasthan. We have take two major decisions, for RPSC nomination we are going to fix a good criteria, new legislation is coming for that. The CM has tweeted on that."

"Ten question paper leaks was a big issue, not only in Rajasthan it is happening everywhere, but we have to control it. There will be a big punishment for question paper leaks that legislation will also come in the upcoming assembly session," he said.

These issues will be addressed, Venugopal said and added that Pilot spoke "very well" at the meeting and told those present that the party is going to win and will fight unitedly in Rajasthan.

All eyes are on Rajasthan as the Congress is looking to buck the revolving door trend of the incumbent party being voted out of power and the Gehlot-Pilot tussle making matters more complicated for the party for the upcoming assembly polls.

At an event marking the death anniversary of his father Rajesh Pilot last month, Sachin Pilot had said people's trust is the "biggest asset" for him and asserted that he will keep fighting to get them justice and not back down on his demands.

Pilot had been attacking the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan over alleged inaction on charges of corruption levelled by him against the previous Vasundhara Raje-led BJP dispensation.

The state's former deputy chief minister had also demanded disbanding of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission and its reconstitution, as well as definitive action by the government as well as compensation for the victims of job exam paper leaks.

Interestingly, two days before the strategy meeting, Gehlot on Tuesday said that the Rajasthan government will bring a bill in the next assembly session to increase the quantum of punishment for those involved in recruitment exam paper leaks from 10 years to life imprisonment.

In a bid to defuse the tensions, Congress chief Kharge and Gandhi had held marathon discussions with Gehlot and Pilot separately in May. They had later posed for photographs at Kharge's 10 Rajaji Marg residence in New Delhi.

After the meetings, the party had said Gehlot and Pilot have agreed to fight the upcoming assembly elections unitedly and have left all issues to be resolved by the party high command.

Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018. In 2020, Pilot led a revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party's state unit president and deputy chief minister.

Last year, an attempt by the high command to effect a leadership change in Rajasthan had failed after Gehlot loyalists dug their heels in and did not allow a legislature party meeting to take place.

Pilot had last month defied a warning from the party and went ahead with a day-long fast targeting Gehlot over his "inaction" on alleged corruption during the previous Raje government.