Sachin Pilot refuses to compromise on his demands

Days after the Congress leadership projected that the tussle in its Rajasthan unit was on hold, Sachin Pilot on Wednesday made it clear that he will not budge on his demands from the Ashok Gehlot government.

On a visit to his Tonk assembly constituency, the dissident Congress leader indicated that it was the last day before what was being seen as an ultimatum to Gehlot ends.

"So, let us see what happens tomorrow," he told reporters.

The feud between the chief minister and his former deputy escalated a few weeks back with Pilot holding a daylong fast demanding action by the state government against 'corruption' during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party term in the state.

And while ending a five-day foot march later, he said this and his two other demands should be met by this month-end or he will launch a state-wide agitation.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party president Rahul Gandhi met the two Rajasthan leaders on Monday. The party said they both had agreed to work unitedly.

But in Tonk, Pilot signalled that he is sticking to his stand.

"I want to say it again that the issues that I had raised, particularly the corruption issue... vast corruption and loot in the previous BJP rule... action will have to be taken on them.

"As far as getting justice for the youth is concerned, I think there is no possibility of any compromise on it," Pilot said, referring to exams for government jobs being cancelled after paper leaks.

"I had said on May 15 that the state government should take action on the issues of corruption by the BJP government and the youth," he said, reminding that this was the 'last day of the month'.

Pilot said he is waiting for action by the Gehlot government.

"Talks were held in Delhi the day before yesterday. They (the leadership) said the responsibility of taking action lies with the state government. So, let us see what happens tomorrow," he said.

The Congress on Monday had sought to project that all was fine now with its Rajasthan unit, where the two leaders have tussled over leadership since the party's government came to power.

There were suggestions that the party had worked out a formula for both the state leaders to work together and fight the year-end assembly elections unitedly.

Pilot said the filling of vacant posts at the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) was necessary for its better functioning.

He said the youths who live in rented accommodation while preparing for competitive examinations suffer when papers get leaked. So the aspirants should get financial compensation in such situations, he added.

Referring to the Congress win in the Karnataka Assembly elections, he said the BJP lost as it repeatedly 'deceived' people.

"They talk about double engines. But now those engines have started seizing," Pilot said.

The BJP uses the double engine analogy to claim that there is development when the party is in power both in the state and at the Centre.

Pilot said the BJP regime in Karnataka was corrupt and the Congress had accused it of being a '40 percent commission' government.

The people agreed with this and voted for the Congress, he claimed.

While ending his five-day 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' in Jaipur, Pilot had made three demands -- reconstitution of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), compensation to youths affected by the leak of exam papers, and a high-level probe into allegations of corruption against the previous Vasundhara Raje government.