Pilot meets Rajasthan minister amid CM post rumblings
Days after his meeting with interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot met the state’s food and civil supply minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, considered a loyalist of CM Ashok Gehlot, on Monday evening, a leader close to developments said on Tuesday.
The meeting, which lasted for one-and-a-half hours, assumes significance in the wake of the recent political developments in the state, and a leader close to Pilot described the meeting as a signal of growing acceptability of Pilot among Congress lawmakers ahead of a decision on who would be the chief minister.
Khachariyawas once counted as Pilot’s right hand, is now among the most outspoken leaders of the Gehlot camp. He also opposed choosing CM face from the 18 MLAs who rebelled in July 2020.
“It’s nothing new if we talked. We have been talking in the state assembly. If Pilot comes to my house, then obviously we will not do ‘Bhajan Keertan’…will do all talks. We talked about everything and what we talked about is not worth sharing here,” Khachariyawas said.
He continued, “Sachin Pilot came to my house…what do you want, tell me? He sat for around one and a half hours…can’t he come to my house? He is a leader in the party. We sat and had discussions.”
The above-cited leader said a large number of the Congress MLAs are open to the idea of the change in the leadership. However, a final decision would be taken by the party high command after October 6 when Sonia returns from Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently in its Karnataka leg, he added.
