Rajasthan Congress: Will Sachin Pilot’s Political Ambitions Cost the Party the State Elections?

The Congress party in Rajasthan seems to be following a familiar script. The current drama unfolding in the state unit is reminiscent of the events that took place in Punjab before the Assembly elections about a year and a half ago. Political pundits are drawing many parallels between the two states, as Rajasthan is also scheduled for polls in about eight months. The question on everyone’s mind is whether Congress is headed towards a self-goal in Rajasthan, just as we witnessed in Punjab. Will the party high command once again prove indecisive? Furthermore, why is Sachin Pilot so inclined to follow Punjab party leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s ways?

Sachin Pilot’s chief ministerial ambitions are pretty clear. He has picked up an issue with an eye on the current incumbent Ashok Gehlot’s chair, which is bound to embarrass him. The Congress came to power with the promise of an inquiry into the alleged 45,000 crore rupee mining scam during Vasundhara Raje’s tenure. Pilot’s strategy is to strengthen rumors about a tacit understanding between Gehlot and Raje. By giving a new lease of life to these decade-long speculations, Pilot hopes to answer many of the slurs like “traitor” and “useless” that Gehlot has used against him.

At first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong with Sachin Pilot’s move. His resentment dating back to the previous state polls is also not entirely unjustified. However, it is not always easy to draw a line between right and wrong in politics, a lesson that Sachin Pilot is seemingly yet to learn. Firstly, he has no right to sit on a hunger strike on the issue when he never raised it as the state party chief. He could have taken cognizance of the matter during his one-and-a-half-year stint as the Deputy Chief Minister but chose not to. To throw mud at his own party’s government just before the elections is bound to raise questions about his credibility. Many political pundits believe that Pilot chose his timing for the protest in the wake of the central leadership’s ongoing stir for probing Adani’s dealings. He would have thought it would be difficult for Gehlot to ignore his demand for investigating the alleged mining scam at such a time and he would be able to target two of the state’s tallest leaders with one masterstroke.

However, the Congress leadership is not impressed, especially since they are putting all their resources into taking on the BJP after Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha. The party sees a chance of victory in the upcoming Karnataka polls and hopes to regain its position as the focal point of opposition unity. The party is at a crucial juncture, and the decisions it makes will determine its political future. Many leaders hope that the party’s long-awaited resurgence is imminent and that it would be unwise to alienate an experienced mass leader like Ashok Gehlot at this critical time.

Ashok Gehlot has experienced many political seasons throughout his long career. He not only knows how to deal with opponents, but he has also managed to keep the central leadership by his side. It is no small feat that he could walk away unscathed after his shenanigans to become the party president even while holding on to his current post. His track record as the party’s tested troubleshooter is well-known to the senior party leadership. Gehlot not only countered “Operation Lotus” against his own government but also acted as an astute strategist while dealing with such situations in other states. Few Congress politicians can match his political skills, especially after Ahmed Patel’s demise. He enjoys the full support of the Gandhi family and has stood by them on many difficult occasions.

At the age of 71, he was at the forefront of the agitation when Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were summoned for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate. His standing in Congress is evident from the fact that he is the party incharge of the BJP’s impenetrable bastion of Gujarat.

The Gehlot government’s policies and programs have resonated with the masses, and much of the credit for the success of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra can be attributed to him. Even this writer can attest to his popularity on the ground. Gehlot has a rare talent for connecting with everyone, from poor peasants and laborers to major political players in Jaipur and Delhi. He is equally skilled at building relationships and using them to his advantage. This is why he continues to enjoy the full support of the high command, even in the face of fresh attacks from Pilot.
All eyes are on Sachin Pilot as to what his next move will be. Speculations are rife about his possible exit from the party, and many believe he could choose to form his own party or join Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). However, these options come with their own risks and could potentially harm the party’s chances in the next elections. The rift between Pilot and Gehlot goes beyond political differences, making reconciliation even harder for Congress.

It seems that Sachin Pilot is playing his cards very cleverly. He has refrained from launching verbal attacks against the Gehlot camp, indicating that his real aim is to gain more political space within the party. He could use his chips to bargain with the high command for a greater say in managing the upcoming elections, but he must guarantee not to upset the party’s unity. The party leadership is likely to seek similar assurances from Ashok Gehlot to ensure that the party goes into Rajasthan’s electoral battlefield as a united front.