Sachin Pilot skipped Jaipur Congress day event & attended in Delhi 'to avoid row': Sources

On Monday, the Congress observed its 136th Foundation Day with president Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi skipping the event at the AICC headquarters in the national capital. A number of senior party functionaries, including AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were present at the event.

Pilot did not want any controversy to emerge: ANI sources

Some of the dissenting "letter-writers" like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, who had sought an organisational overhaul in the party, besides Sachin Pilot who revolted against the Congress government in Rajasthan sometime ago, were also in attendance. According to an ANI report, Sachin Pilot chose to attend the programme in Delhi, ditching the party celebration in Rajasthan. 

The AICC had invited Congress Working Committee members and MPs for the Foundation Day programme at the headquarters and Pilot who doesn't fall in any category attended the programme. According to ANI sources, Pilot didn't want any controversy to emerge. Notably, Congress has deputed a committee of senior leaders including the AICC in-charge Ajay Maken to resolve the differences between the Gehlot and Pilot camps.

"Several organisational appointments and political appointments are on the cards for the state body of Congress and are likely to be announced soon. A shortlist will be announced shortly and then later a detailed list will be out," said a source. State in-charge Ajay Maken is holding meetings with leaders and party workers, and for this, he had met Pilot recently in Delhi.

The Congress government in Rajasthan was on the verge of collapse after Pilot along with 19 disgruntled MLAs raised a banner of revolt earlier this year. Hectic consultations with the Sachin Pilot-led rebel leaders camp helped the Congress save its government and its state unit from a division, as had taken place in Madhya Pradesh with Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit.

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Congress Foundation Day event

Meanwhile, Congress also launched a campaign on social media "SelfieWithTiranga" with party leaders posting messages to mark the day along with their pictures with the Tricolour. The party observed the day by taking out 'Tiranga Yatras' in several cities across the country. Congress also put out a video of the party's achievements during the freedom struggle.

"The Congress has completed 135 years of its journey and even today the country faces challenges similar to British rule and even today Congress stands rock-solid to safeguard the soul, the constitution, the democracy and the ethos of Bharat Mata," the party tweeted. 

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(With agency inputs)