Page 8 - Sachin Pilot

Congress to 'resolve' rift between Gehlot and Pilot after Bharat Jodo Yatra

As Bharat Jodo Yatra completed its Rajasthan leg and despite a presumed reconciliatory meeting between Gehlot and Pilot, there seems to no sign of a "full stop" to the feud between CM and his ex-Dy

Cong walks factionalism tightrope during Bharat Jodo Yatra's Rajasthan leg

As the Bharat Jodo Yatra's Rajasthan leg ended Wednesday, the Congress would have heaved a sigh of relief as it passed the state without any face-off between the supporters of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot despite sloganeering on the roads. The yatra's about 500 km route in Rajasthan was dotted with several Pilot strongholds and the foot march was boosted by massive numbers, several of them being his young supporters who raised slogans such as "Humara CM Kaisa ho, Sachin Pilot Jaisa ho" and "I Love You, I Love You, Sachin Pilot, I Love You". Pilot himself walked alongside Rahul Gandhi for most of the distance and on some occasions was also seen gesturing to his supporters raising slogans in his support to not do so. Gehlot also was a regular feature especially during the morning session of the yatra in the state. In certain places, supporters of Gehlot also raised slogans in his favour and highlighted his "good governance" in the state. On th

Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes from Rajasthan's Dausa after break

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from here on Sunday after a day's break with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior leader Sachin Pilot walking alongside the former Congress chief. The yatra resumed from Kalakho here around 8 AM. Several people lined up since early morning to greet the yatra. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi will address a rally in Alwar on Monday. The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan. It completed 100 days Friday. The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir. It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar. Besides

Slogans in support of Sachin Pilot raised during Bharat Jodo Yatra

As the Congress MP Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra marked its 100 days on Friday, people in Dausa raised slogans in support of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.The yatra started from Meena High Court (Nangal Rajwatan), reaching Giriraj Dharan temple of Dausa.A music concert has been organised in Jaipur to celebrate 100 days of the foot march. Rahul Gandhi also held a press conference at the Congress office in Jaipur.Rajasthan is the only Congress-ruled state where the yatra will cover around 500 km over 17 days before entering Haryana on December 21. Many people were seen joining the march holding banners and party flags.Rajya Sabha MP and party General Secretary KC Venugopal tweeted: "Today the historic journey of #BharatJodoYatra completes #100Days, uniting the country against hatred, bigotry, division, violence, injustice, unemployment & price rice. The #BJY has covered 8 states & 2,763KMs winning the hearts (in emoji) of millions. Thank you all for the love

Everything will be resolved smoothly, says Venugopal on Gehlot-Pilot tussle

Amid an ongoing power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Friday said "everything will be resolved smoothly" and the party is very much united in the state. In an interview with PTI, Venugopal also exuded confidence that the Congress would win the Rajasthan assembly polls next year and return to power. His remarks come after a major row erupted last month following Gehlot's comments that Pilot is a 'gaddar' (traitor) and cannot replace him. The remarks drew a sharp response from Pilot who had said it was unbecoming of Gehlot's stature to use that kind of language and that such "mud-slinging" would not help at a time the focus should be on the yatra. Asked about the row and whether the differences between Gehlot and Pilot would be resolved, Venugopal, who is participating in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, "Everything will be resolved smoothly." The party is very much united and .

Cong fully united, focused on making Bharat Jodo Yatra historic: Pilot

Dismissing apprehensions that infighting may affect the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday said the party's state unit is "fully united" and focussed on ensuring that the Yatra is even more successful than it has been in other states. Pilot also slammed the BJP for taking potshots at the Congress over his differences with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, saying that "sounds rich" coming from the BJP which has at least a dozen claimants for the post of chief minister. "There is so much disunity in the BJP. They have not even been able to establish themselves as a proper opposition in the last four years in Rajasthan," Pilot told PTI in an interview on a day the Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Rajasthan. Asked about apprehensions about the yatra's fate in Rajasthan following the events leading up to it with Gehlot attacking him in an interview with NDTV, Pilot dismissed the apprehensions as "stories put out in the media". "As far as Rahul ...

Gehlot vs Pilot: Groups fight for dominance in Bharat Jodo Yatra hoardings

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot may have put up a united front before AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, but their supporters are reportedly showing one-upmanship on the ground ahead of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Supporters of the two leaders are competing in Hadoti to highlight their dominance, which is visible from the hoardings in the region. This has also led to blame games between leaders of the two factions. Pramod Sharma, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Congress in Jhalawar, alleged that the Pilot camp has been attempting to weaken Gehlot's influence. Sharma targeted Jhalawar district in-charge minister Pramod Jain Bhaya alleging that he was weakening the party's roots by leading a separate group of local people, and thereby sidelining efforts of the party's other workers. "The particular group (Bhaya's group) is going ahead everywhere only with Sachin Pilot. In many posters and hoardings that have ou

United colours of Rajasthan: State Cong chief as Gehlot, Pilot show unity

Days after trading barbs, Gehlot and Pilot attended a meeting, and greeted each other in the meeting

Both leaders assets to Congress: Rahul Gandhi on Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot

Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday said both the leaders are assets to the party. Addressing a press conference near Indore, Gandhi, the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala, also said the decision to contest again from Amethi would be taken after one or one-and-a-half years. "At present, my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra," he said. Union minister Smriti Irani had defeated Rahul Gandhi in his family's bastion Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. To a query on different statements being given by Rajasthan leaders Gehlot and Pilot amid their power tussle, he said, "It will not affect the yatra and both the leaders are assets to the Congress party." Asked whether he would like to contest again from Amethi if given an opportunity, Gandhi said "I don't want to give any headline to the media as at present my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra." "The answer to your question on

Gehlot's interview: Congress says he shouldn't have used certain words

The Congress on Sunday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot shouldn't have used "certain words" during an interview amid the power tussle between him and Sachin Pilot. Speaking to reporters in Indore during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress' communications head Jairam Ramesh also said, if needed, the party will not shy away from taking tough decisions to strengthen the organisation in the desert state and also look for a compromise. "Gehlot is our senior and experienced leader while Pilot is an energetic, young, and popular leader. The Congress needs both these leaders," said Ramesh. "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," Ramesh told reporters when queried about Gehlot's outburst. Gehlot on Thursday told NDTV Pilot is a 'gaddar' (traitor) who cannot replace him as he had revolted against Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the state ...

Gehlot vs Pilot: Congress won't shy from 'tough decisions', says Ramesh

Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said if needed, the party will not shy away from taking tough decisions to strengthen the organisation in that state. For the Congress, its organisation in Rajasthan is most important, Ramesh, the party's general secretary in-charge of communications, told reporters in Indore during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Gehlot on Thursday told a TV channel that Pilot is a 'gaddar' (traitor) and cannot replace him, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such "mud-slinging" would not help, in an escalation of their rift days ahead of the entry of Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' into the desert state. Gehlot also said Pilot had revolted against the Congress in 2020 and alleged that he tried to topple the state government. Pilot had hit back at Gehlot to say it was unbecoming of his stature to use the kind of language to attack him

'Gehlot calling Pilot traitor unexpected, leadership to resolve crisis'

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot using the term "Gaddar" (traitor) for party colleague Sachin Pilot was "unexpected". The party needs both the warring leaders, and the crisis in the Rajasthan unit will be resolved keeping in mind the interests of the organization and not individuals, he added. Ramesh, the Congress's media head, was speaking during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra here. Gehlot, in a TV interview on Thursday, said Pilot was a "Gaddar" and cannot replace him as Rajasthan CM, drawing sharp response from his former deputy who said such "mud-slinging" would not help. Gehlot also alleged that Pilot had rebelled against the Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the party's government in Rajasthan. "Gehlot is a senior and experienced leader of the Congress. But the term used by him in an interview (for Pilot) is unexpected and even I am surprised," Ramesh said. "The party needs both Gehlot and Pilot. There are some .

80% MLAs are with Sachin Pilot: Rajasthan minister Rajendra Singh Gudha

"We will leave our stake for the chief ministership if you do not find 80 per cent MLAs with Sachin Pilot... No better politician than him," said the State Minister

'Gaddar' Sachin Pilot can't be CM, says Gehlot as rift in Raj Cong deepens

Rajasthan CM claims that Pilot's 2020 revolt was 'funded by the BJP'

Bharat Jodo Yatra will be successful in Rajasthan, says Sachin Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday distanced himself from the threat by a prominent Gurjar outfit to disrupt the Bharat Jodo Yatra if its demand to make him the Rajasthan chief minister is not accepted, and instead blamed the BJP for trying to create "disturbances". Gurjar Arakshan Sangharh Samiti leader Vijay Singh Bainsla has threatened to oppose the Rahul Gandhi's yatra in Rajasthan unless his demand to make Pilot, a prominent face from the community, the chief minister is accepted. Asked about the threat of Bainsla, the former deputy chief minister of the state said, No matter how hard the BJP tries, the yatra will be successful". The BJP may try to create disturbances...BJP's policy may be to break but the yatra is 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and it will be successful. We all will welcome the yatra in the state with unity, he said outside the party's war room where a meeting to review the preparations for the march has been convened. On Bainsla's remarks that the community had

Infighting in Cong cause of concern ahead of Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra will pass through Rajasthan in the cold days of December but political temperature within the party is high, with leaders supporting former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot demanding solutions to existing issues. Even as infighting between the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot camps continues, Gurjar leader Vijay Singh Bainsla has dared the party to organise the yatra without resolving pending issues of the community he belongs to. At the same time, the opposition BJP is geared up to launch its 'Jan Akrosh Movement' from November 29 to counter the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and corner the Gehlot government at a time when it completes four years next month. The yatra is scheduled to enter Jhalawar in Rajasthan from Madhya Pradesh in the first week of December. During almost 20 days in the state, it will traverse through Jhalawar, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Alwar. Party sources said the yatra will pass through 18 assembly ...

If Pilot not made CM, Congress MLAs will fit in SUV in next polls: Gudha

Gudha said that if Sachin Pilot was not made the CM, 'then the Congress will win as many MLAs as can sit inside a car'

'BJP's double-engine govt will derail soon', says Sachin Pilot in Himachal

Pilot, who was campaigning for Congress in the Himachal Assembly polls, said that the voters are "inclined towards the party"

Winds of change blowing across Himachal: Sachin Pilot in Palampur

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday said that winds of change are blowing across Himachal Pradesh and exuded confidence that his party will form the government in the state

Reasonable to have ambition in politics, approach makes difference: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said it was reasonable to have ambition in politics but it was the approach that made the difference. His remark comes two days after his former deputy Sachin Pilot raised eyebrows over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "praise" for Gehlot and also nudged the Congress to end the "state of indecision" over the post of chief minister. When asked about the internal challenges in the party, Gehlot told reporters in Baran without naming anyone, "Everyone has a little bit of ambition in politics and it is reasonable that one should have ambition. It is the approach that makes some difference." Refuting any suggestions of internal conflict in the ruling party, Gehlot said he did not want to speak further on the matter and said it was important to win the next elections to the Rajasthan Assembly in the interest of the state and the country. He said the next elections would be fought on the agenda of good governance, works and schemes of the ...