Pilot aide writes to Rahul, Kharge criticising Gehlot, Raj in-charge

A Congress MLA has written to senior leader Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge accusing its Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa of failing to coordinate with the leaders of the party's state unit.

Legislator Ved Prakash Solanki, who is considered close to former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, also criticised Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for his recent remarks praising Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Vasundhara Raje, for helping him survive the 2020 revolt by some Congress MLAs.

"Randhawa should have ensured coordination (with local leaders). He listened to us and should have resolved our issues. He heard our points but nothing happened after that," Solanki, who was one of the many who had revolted against Gehlot, said.

The MLA said coordination among the party in-charge and state leaders is of utmost importance ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

And, if there is no coordination, it will harm the party, he said.

Gehlot, while addressing a programme in Dholpur on Sunday, claimed his government could be saved because of the support of three BJP leaders -- former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, former assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal and MLA Shobharani Kushwah.

The chief minister also took potshots at the rebel Congress MLAs, saying they should return the money they had taken from the BJP so that they can carry out their duty without any pressure.

Gehlot's then deputy Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs revolted against his leadership in July 2020.

The month-long crisis ended after the intervention of the party's high command. Pilot was then removed as the deputy chief minister and state Congress president.

Solanki asked whether the MLAs who supported Pilot were cowards and urged Gandhi to take note of his letter as 'there is no coordination in Rajasthan Congress yet'.

On Gehlot's allegation of rebel Congress MLAs taking money from the BJP, Solanki said the chief minister is also the home minister of the state and if he had any evidence, he would have already taken action in the matter.

Solanki said he is a supporter of Pilot and will continue to stand by him.