(From left) Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, and Vasundhara Raje Scindia. (News18)
As speculation mounts about Pilot forming his own party, two factors come to the fore— One, many in the BJP think it could harm them as Pilot is raising the same issues as the BJP, eg Corruption for. Another is that many of Pilot’s supporters may be wary of his new front, thinking he may not have a future.
As you cross the Bharat Jodo Setu, inaugurated during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, it is clear that the hoardings are an attempt to beat the cyclical pattern of election results that bring a different party to power each time. Ensures.
The hoardings have a giant image of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announcing new schemes – from economic benefits for women to power rebates and jobs for the youth. There is neither the symbol of the party nor any picture of the Gandhi family. The message is clear – these elections will be fought on the Gehlot factor.
Hence, it comes as no surprise that the party office is almost deserted and even the homes of top leaders and legislators are not buzzing with visitors. In fact, the feedback given to the central leadership is that there is no anti-incumbency against Gehlot, while many of his ministers are facing it. Hence, the party is likely to replace several sitting MLAs.
pilot test
But without mentioning the name of Sachin Pilot, there cannot be talk of Rajasthan Congress. The queue of people who meet him at his house is surprising because he is an MLA only on paper. But supporters and ticket seekers are aware of his hotline for the Gandhi family and are hopeful that he can ensure tickets for them.
The pilot, however, faces a challenge. In the last elections, Gujjars – the caste to which they belong – largely voted for the Congress and one of the reasons was that they believed Pilot could be the chief minister. Even after being made deputy CM, he stood firm, in the hope that his time would come.
As speculation mounts about Pilot forming his own party, two factors come to the fore – One, many in the BJP think it could harm them as Pilot is raising the same issues as the BJP, eg Corruption for BJP’s calculation and expectation of swing of Gujjar votes and anti-Gehlot votes can be compromised.
The second is a concern for the pilot. We know that Kalyan Singh minus BJP was soon forgotten. Likewise, it’s quite possible that many of the pilot’s supporters are wary of his new front, thinking he may not have a future. This is one of the reasons why the pilots are yet to form their own party. He also feels that having lived and contributed to the Congress for years, he would prefer to fight from within rather than from outside.
Vasundhara’s acid test
Just opposite are the BJP offices and homes of top party leaders. Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore and state BJP chief CP Joshi both have barely a moment to catch their breath. Packed schedule, orders from the Center to travel across the state and meet all the supporters are keeping him busy.
The BJP does not want to be complacent and complacent in belief of a cyclical pattern in the state. But when they talk of Gehlot’s ‘corruption’ and Pilot’s future, there is complete silence when it comes to ‘Rani Sahiba’ Vasundhara Scindia.
Interestingly, while the leaders are busy reaching out, Vasundhara Scindia herself is out of reach. The former chief minister, who was seen in Rishikesh, is now in Jharkhand and is hiding in party work. But as she faces infighting within the party, it is her future that is in question. The party has so far made it clear that it will not contest the elections with any CM face. But he also realizes that Vasundhara Scindia as a factor cannot be ignored. Some privately admit that with Vasudhara at the helm, it is possible to oust Gehlot. But as she faces an uneasy relationship with her male counterparts in the state and no comment from the top two in the party, her silence is seen as the one before the storm.
Like Pilot, his political future depends on his influence during the elections.
I believe the desertion election is do or die for both Pilot and Vasundhara. Despite being strongly opposed to each other, this is the common thread that binds them.
