AMN/ WEB DESK
Amid growing rift between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that both leaders were assets to the party.
Addressing a press conference near Indore — days before his Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently in Madhya Pradesh, moves to Rajasthan — Mr. Gandhi was responding to a question on Mr. Gehlot’s recent remarks calling Mr. Pilot a “traitor”. “It will not affect the yatra and both the leaders are assets to the Congress party,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Referring to a rebellion by Mr. Pilot in 2020, the Rajasthan CM had last week told the NDTV news channel that Mr. Pilot was a ‘ gaddaar’ (traitor) who could not replace him as the Chief Minister. In response, his former deputy had said such “mud-slinging” would not help.
The Congress leader, however, said he would not want to create any controversy by making any comment on this particular issue, he said, and added, “What I can say is that both Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are assets for the Congress.”
Notably, the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is in Madhya Pradesh right now, will enter Rajasthan on December 4, as per the schedule.
While responding to the Congress MLAs who shifted to the BJP that had resulted in the collapse of Kamal Nath government in 2020 in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said they should not be given a place in the party again.
“Though, it is up to the Madhya Pradesh leadership to decide on this subject, but it is my personal belief that those MLAs who have taken money from the BJP to dissolve the Congress government should not be given the place again. It is my personal view, because they have been bought by the BJP, then they are not trustable,” Gandhi added.
During the press conference, he was also asked to share his opinion on 10 per cent reservation for general category, however, Gandhi maintained that at present, he has turned complete focus on Bharat Jodo Yatra, and not any other political issue. “It may be that I will answer this question later, but at present my complete focus is on how to complete this Bharat Jodo Yatra.”
Rahul Gandhi also said that he was not thinking about the party or any political issue during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. “Will Bharat Jodo Yatra have any impact on Congress? And at what level? I am not thinking about all these issues. I am not even thinking about the Congress. I am walking around 25 km every day, meeting with people and listening to them and I have made my complete focus on the yatra only,” Gandhi added.