Rajasthan: Cold war over CM post continues as Ashok Gehlot asserts control

The cold war between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot over the post of Rajasthan chief minister refuses to die down. Even after state assembly and Lok Sabha elections have passed, the two senior Congress leaders still seem to be holding grudges against each other.

The latest hint that animosity was alive and kicking surfaced during an event to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

While speaking on the occasion, CM Ashok Gehlot mentioned how he made Rajiv Gandhi agree to help Rajasthan during a flood situation in the state.

Later at the same event, Sachin Pilot took a jibe at Gehlot and said that perhaps he (Gehlot) should also listen to the MLAs the way Rajiv Gandhi listened to him.

This was not the first time that the two leaders made their dissent public.

On several previous occasions in the past, the bitterness between Rajasthan Chief Minister and his Deputy had come to the fore. The relationship between the two had deteriorated after the results of the assembly elections came in. With the Congress getting more seats than the BJP in the state, both Gehlot and Pilot had tried hard to become the chief minister of the state.

Infighting within Congress in Rajasthan had intensified as Ashok Gehlot had dug in his heels to become the Rajasthan CM.

Ashok Gehlot, after presenting the budget in July this year, made remarks about the CM post without any instigations.

Speaking to media after the budget presentation, Gehlot claimed that the people of Rajasthan wanted him and only him as the CM.

He also mentioned that the Congress President Rahul Gandhi had shown faith in him for the Chief Minister's post respecting the sentiments of the people of the desert state.

"The love, affection and trust I am receiving are even more than what I felt during my last term a the CM. That is why it was appropriate for me to take the oath as the Chief Minister," Gehlot said after presenting state budget.

After the assembly results were out in December last year, accusations of internal sabotage flew thick and fast as several claimed that Gehlot's confidantes and long-time loyalists were asked to fight as Independents so that he can use them as bargaining chips if the Congress needs outside support to form the Government.

Some of these Independents included the likes of Mahadev Singh Khandela, MLA from Khandela; Raj Kumar Gaur, Sriganganagar MLA; and Babulal Nagar, MLA from Dudu.

Some Independent MLAs, who were considered pro-Gehlot, later joined the Congress after he became the chief minister.