About 20 Congress legislators who pledged their support to Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot have arrived at Gurugram fuelling speculation about a split in the party. Although the Congress high-command is trying to pacify factions led by Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to save itself more embarrassment as well as the party’s government in the state. However, Pilot remained untraceable, according to sources.
Pilot has left the Rajasthan capital after the special operations group (SOG) of the state police’s anti-terror squad posted a notice at his residence to appear for questioning. The questioning is to take place in connection with the case registered on Friday by the ATS that there was a plot to bring down the Ashok Gehlot government.
The MLAs from the Pilot camp are said to be lodged at different places, with about a dozen at ITC Grand in Gurugram, and a few others are at ITC Maurya in Delhi.
Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader said Pilot has been negotiating with the BJP to form government in the state. However, Chief Minister Ghelot has the support of 103 MLAs. There are rumours that Pilot would meet Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi. However, it has not been confirmed so far.
Some Congress MLAs and ministers met Chief Minister Gehlot at his official residence in Jaipur and expressed solidarity with him. Gehlot, sources said, has spoken with Sonia Gandhi, Rajasthan party affairs incharge Avinash Pandey, and Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal to apprise them of developments in his state.
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