Modi-Gehlot 'mutual admiration': Sachin Pilot smells a rat, calls for action against Gehlot loyalists; Rajasthan CM says leaders should maintain discipline
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 2
The “mutual admiration” shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at a public event has led to a new controversy in the Congress with former deputy CM and Gehlot’s bête noire Sachin Pilot smelling a rat.
While asserting that it was time to end the indecision on the Rajasthan leadership issue by the new Congress leadership, Pilot also cautioned that PM Modi’s praise for Gehlot should not be taken lightly. “It is an interesting development and should not be taken lightly as we know what happened after Modi praised Ghulam Nabi Azad in parliament,” he said.
Gehlot, in turn, asked party leaders to “maintain discipline” and refrain from making political statements.
“AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal has asked not to give statements. We, too, want all leaders to maintain discipline,” Gehlot told reporters in Alwar.
Stating that the party’s focus should be on retaining the government in Rajasthan, Gehlot said: “It is our objective to repeat the government. We have given good governance and brought so many schemes in the state, which has never happened before. We have started working towards retaining the state on good governance.”
Speaking at the ‘Mangarh Dham Ki Gaurav Gatha’ event in Rajasthan on Tuesday, PM Modi praised Gehlot, calling him a senior among the chief ministers even when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.
“As the Chief Minister, Ashok ji and I have worked together for several years and Ashok ji was the senior- most among the chief ministers. He continues to be the senior-most chief minister even now. Ashok ji is also one of the senior chief ministers among those sitting on the dais. I thank him for attending this programme,” the PM said.
Apart from Gehlot, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan were also present at the event.
Gehlot also said when PM Modi goes abroad he receives great honour because he is the prime minister of the nation of Mahatma Gandhi, where democracy is deep-rooted. “We were slaves once upon a time and now our country has achieved great heights. PM Modi receives huge respect whenever he visits abroad. It is because he is the PM of a country of Mahatma Gandhi where the roots of democracy are strong and deep and where democracy is alive even after 70 years of independence. The world feels proud when it realises that Modi is coming from such a country. You can realise how this country has moved forward,” he said
Meanwhile, Pilot also said it is time to end the indecision on the Rajasthan leadership issue by the new Congress leadership.
Breaking his silence on the abandoned CLP meeting on September 25, he said the AICC considered the parallel meeting by MLAs as an act of indiscipline.
“The Congress leadership should now take a decision on it expeditiously. It is important that rules and discipline are applicable to all equally. Hope that the new Congress president Mallikargun Kharge will make a decision soon,” Pilot said.
