Follow discipline: Gehlot after Pilot calls PM Modi's praise 'interesting'
What's the story
In a veiled attack at fellow party leader and rival Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that "everyone" should follow discipline. This came after Pilot called for action against party MLAs who rebelled in September during the nominations for the party's presidential election. He hinted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent praise for Gehlot signaled the latter jumping ship.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Rajasthan's Congress unit witnessed a political crisis when Gehlot loyalists tried to armtwist the party's central leadership to let him bid his nomination for the post of Congress president while being the CM — against the party's one person, one post policy. Gehlot was reluctant to let the CM's chair go to Pilot, who had unsuccessfully attempted a coup against his government in 2020.
Gehlot
Rahul Gandhi working hard, shouldn't make such remarks: Gehlot
Gehlot, who is currently in Alwar, said that KC Venugopal had asked all party leaders not to make "such" remarks and wanted everybody to follow discipline. He said the country is suffering and people are reeling under violence, inflation, and unemployment. Referring to the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said Rahul Gandhi is walking kilometers every day to build pressure on the government.
Twitter Post
Both rivals engaged in covert attacks
Alwar, Rajasthan | They should not make such remarks. KC Venugopal has asked everybody in the party to not make any such remarks. We want that everybody should follow discipline: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Sachin Pilot's remarks https://t.co/ptGGHUY7M3 pic.twitter.com/ELTQLrNG3K
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2022
Pilot
Shouldn't be taken lightly: Pilot on Modi praising Gehlot
Pilot indicated that the party's leadership will soon act against rebels who were issued notice for indiscipline. Smelling something fishy in the words of praise heaped by PM Modi on Gehlot, he called it "interesting" and said it shouldn't be taken lightly. Harking back to PM Modi lauding Ghulam Nabi Azad, who exited the party soon after, he drew parallels between both.
Twitter Post
Gehlot earlier praised PM Modi, which cadres interpreted as satirical
मोदी जी को मोदी जी के सामने सच का आइना दिखाने का काम सिर्फ़ श्री अशोक @ashokgehlot51 गहलोत साहब ही कर सकते हैं कांग्रेसी ही कर सकते हैं।
— Surendra Rajput (@ssrajputINC) November 1, 2022
कान से सुन रहे थे जिगर लहू लुहान हो रहा था!
खुद देख लीजिये। pic.twitter.com/8Tvb4WG5d6
Background
Gehlot loyalists had threatened to bring government down
The political crisis in Rajasthan worsened after an unsuccessful Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting as MLAs loyal to Gehlot kicked up a storm over the possibility of Sachin Pilot succeeding him. After the meeting, over 90 MLAs headed to Speaker CP Joshi to submit their resignation. Although, their resignations weren't accepted. Gehlot later withdrew his nomination for paty's top post apologizing to Sonia Gandhi.