Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has dismissed any strained relationship with Sachin Pilot, claiming that he had never distanced himself from his former deputy.

“When were we ever far apart? We were never distant,” Gehlot was quoted as saying by the new agency PTI on 11 June. The former CM said the love and affection between the two Congress leaders will continue.

Gehlot’s remark hinted at a possible softness in relations between the two senior Congress leaders after years of political tussle.

Pilot led a revolt against CM Gehlot in July 2020, when the Congress party was in power in Rajasthan. The revolt of Pilot and 18 Congress lawmakers against Gehlot triggered a month-long crisis. The crisis, however, was resolved when the Congress leadership removed Pilot as the deputy chief minister and state party chief.

The Congress however lost the next assembly election in Rajasthan.

CM Ashok Gehlot comments

Gehlot made the fresh comments while attending a memorial event in Dausa marking the death anniversary of former Union minister Rajesh Pilot, the father of Sachin Pilot.

The ceremony, which included a tribute and an exhibition on Rajesh Pilot’s life and legacy, was attended by several Congress leaders, including AICC Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, leader of opposition Tikaram Jully, many of the party MPs and MLAs, former ministers, former MLAs, and party office bearers.

In addition to them, a large number of party workers and local people were present at the programme held on Rajesh Pilot’s 25th death anniversary.

At the crowded venue, reporters asked Gehlot what the message was behind the two leaders coming close.

“Ham Door Kab The? Ham Dur The Hi Nahi. Prem Mohabbat Bani Rahti Hai aur Bani Rahegi. (When were we ever far apart? We were never distant. Love and affection remain and will continue to remain),” Gehlot said, responding with a smile.

Pilot and other leaders were also near him when the senior Congress leader made the remarks.

Remembering Rajesh Pilot

Gehlot remembered Rajesh Pilot, saying that he and Rajesh Pilot were together in Parliament, and his commitment to the farmers and the poor is still remembered.

“Today we are paying tribute to him. Look at the enthusiasm of the people. Young as well as elderly people have come. Those who have worked with him have also come. People who have heard about him have also come. This gathering in itself is a message about the kind of personality he had. I have worked with him and memories of that time have also been refreshed today,” Gehlot said.

Sachin Pilot said his father served the nation while being in the Indian Air Force and later in politics. “Today it has been 25 years of his death and he is still with me. His way of working and dedication is an ideal for us. I hope that the coming generation will take inspiration from him and we all will follow the path that he has shown,” he said.

Sachin Pilot accompanied Gehlot during the exhibition and briefed him about it.

Rajesh Pilot died in a road accident in Dausa on 11 June 2000. He was Dausa MP at that time. Sachin Pilot holds a death anniversary programme every year in Dausa. Sachin Pilot recently visited Gehlot at his residence to invite him to this programme.

The tug-of-war between Gehlot and Sachin Pilot began after the Congress came to power in December 2018. Gehlot, a two-time chief minister, won the race and was at the helm for a third time, while Sachin Pilot, who was the PCC chief at that time, was appointed his deputy.

However, the palpable discord between the two leaders came out in 2020 when Pilot, along with a section of Congress MLAs, revolted against Gehlot’s leadership. This led to a month-long political crisis that ended after the party high command assured Pilot that it would look into the issues raised by Pilot.

Following the revolt by Pilot and 18 other MLAs, Gehlot used terms such as “gaddar” (traitor), “nakara” (incapable) and “nikamma” (worthless) for Pilot and accused him of being involved with BJP leaders in a conspiracy to topple the Congress government in the state.

It was during this revolt that Pilot lost his posts of deputy chief minister and PCC president.

In September 2022, a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting was convened at the chief minister’s residence to pass a one-line resolution authorising the party high command to decide on a change in the state leadership as Gehlot was in the race for the party president’s post.

In April 2023, Pilot had observed a fast at the Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur to demand action in cases of alleged corruption related to Vasundhara Raje led previous BJP government in the state.

The was another front Pilot had opened against the then Gehlot government, apparently accusing the government of not taking action on corruption cases of the previous BJP government.