Jaipur: Amid the chaos in Rajasthan on Thursday over the selection of chief minister, Congress leader Sachin Pilot assured full confidence in Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Soni Gandhi and said the decision taken by them will be welcomed by all the party leaders. He also appealed the party workers to maintain peace.
He also “requested the media to not run news based on rumours and only rely on confirmed news”.
The supporters of Pilot became increasingly agitated demanding selection of Pilot as Rajasthan CM and blocked a key road in Karuali and damaged a highway bus in Dausa.
Earlier, the supporters of Pilot had gathered outside the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi, raising slogans.
Pilot took to Twitter saying that it is the responsibility of the leaders and workers to uphold the honour of the party.
“I appeal to party workers to maintain peace and decorum. I have full faith in the leadership, we will welcome whatever Rahul Gandhi ji and Sonia Gandhi ji decide. It is our responsibility to uphold the honour of the party, we are dedicated to the party,” tweeted Pilot.
An apparent tussle between the old and the young guard in the Congress seems to have delayed the announcement of chief minister for Rajasthan, as the party leadership carried out hours-long hectic deliberations before deciding on names.
The chief minister aspirants in Rajasthan (Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot) met Rahul Gandhi and staked their claims even as senior leaders huddled at the residence of party chief Rahul Gandhi, where UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also participated in the deliberations.
Rahul Gandhi also separately met Gehlot and Pilot at his residence earlier in the day. The two spent around 15 minutes each with the Congress president and left without talking to the waiting media outside. Later also, they did not take calls from the media. In Rajasthan, party veteran Gehlot was said to be leading the race, even as Pilot is staking his own claim strongly.
As deliberations continued inside, supporters of each contender were heard raising slogans and flashing banners in support of their respective leaders — out the party offices in the three states as also outside the house of top leaders. Pilot’s supporters raised slogans outside Gandhi’s office also.
Facing his first test within the Congress, Gandhi started hectic deliberations with senior party leaders early Thursday morning and a final decision was expected by the evening to enable the oath-taking ceremonies at the earliest.
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