'All well in Rajasthan Congress', signals Congress' KC Venugopal; pans BJP's wrongdoings

In the wake of Sachin Pilot's meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Monday, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal revealed that both the former and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot are happy. According to him, this was a direct slap on BJP's alleged anti-democratic face. Venugopal alleged that BJP leaders were indulging in horse-trading and sabotaging democratically-elected governments. He added that the unity in the Congress party was a message to BJP's wrongdoings. 

Earlier in the day, Pilot met the former Congress president and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the national capital. In an official statement, Congress revealed that the ex-Rajasthan Deputy CM expressed his grievances in detail and held a frank, open, and conclusive discussion. Moreover, he committed to working in the interest of the Congress party. A three-member committee shall be constituted to address the issues raised by the Pilot camp MLAs and reach an appropriate resolution. 

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Congress Sets Up Panel To Probe Sachin Pilot's Issues

Political crisis in Rajasthan

Pilot’s departure to Delhi with some of his supporting legislators on July 11 set off alarm bells in the Congress camp. The rift between CM Ashok Gehlot and him widened after the legislators belonging to his camp skipped two Legislative Party meetings. Despite Pilot's insistence that he will not join BJP, the Congress party sacked him as the Deputy CM and the PCC chief. While the Gehlot camp MLAs are holed up in a Jaisalmer hotel, the legislators belonging to the Pilot camp are staying at an undisclosed location. With the commencement of the Rajasthan Assembly session on August 14, hectic parlays were on to ensure the stability of the Congress government. 

Read: Pilot Camp MLA Bhanwar Lal Meets Ashok Gehlot To Extend Support; All Rebels To Leave Delhi

BJP urges government to apologise

In a tacit acceptance that Sachin Pilot has reconciled with Congress, Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia reiterated that the political crisis was a result of the internal bickering within the ruling party. He lamented that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had stepped in to defuse the crisis very late owing to which the people of Rajasthan including the youth, workers, and farmers suffered for 31 days. Moreover, he asked the Ashok Gehlot-led government to waive off the loans of farmers, fulfill the demands of the unemployed individuals, waive off the water, electricity and school charges and stop the spate of crimes in Rajasthan. 

Read: Rapprochement With Congress? Sachin Pilot Camp MLA Cautions Against Assumptions