"Forgive and Forgive": Ashok Gehlot calls legislators as team pilot returns
New Delhi / Jaipur:
Two days after the Congress announced an end to its Rajasthan insurgent crisis with a meeting between Sachin Pilot and Gandhi, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot indicated an ascent. Ashok Gehlot, who met with Congress MLAs staying at a hotel in Jaisalmer last evening, said they were "naturally upset" after the truss but all have to move forward. "Forget and forgive, and move on," the chief minister announced.
"It is natural for legislators to be upset. The way this episode happened and the way they stayed for a month, it was natural. I have explained to them that sometimes we need to be tolerant. The Chief Minister told reporters, "Serve the nation, the state, the people, and save democracy."
"We have to forgive the mistakes. This is for democracy. Democracy is in danger. More than 100 MLAs stand by me. It is remarkable in itself. This fight is to save democracy and BJP is doing it in Rajasthan Failed. It was done in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. We will unite for the sake of democracy. "
Sachin Pilot on Monday dropped his month-long rebellion against the Chief Minister of Rajasthan after meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Yesterday, when he returned to Jaipur for the first time after his rebellion, Ashok Gehlot made it a point to stay away, in Jaisalmer.
Sources say that the two are yet to meet and are unlikely to see each other before the special session of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Friday. By the time Mr. Gehlot calls a meeting of Congress legislators to set the stage for formal reconciliation. But the patch-up in Delhi will take longer to sink.
The bitterness between the Congress's top two in Rajasthan spread through his remarks in front of the media yesterday. Mr Pilot, who had been publicly exonerated by Mr. Ashok Gehlot's deputy and admitted that he was hurt by being called "nikma (useless)".
He said, "Some insensitive and inappropriate words were used. Not to say that I was not angry, I am a human being. I felt sad and disappointed, but we have a big mission and should not be called."
Mr. Gehlot said that if the party leadership decided to forgive rebel MLAs, he would "warmly embrace" them. But he avoided the question of how he would embrace a man whom he described as "worthless" and corrupt.
Some 100 Congress MLAs who were in Mr Gehlot's side at the time of the crisis were vocal about their displeasure en route to Mr Pilot and 18 more rebels were allowed to return home without any deputation.
According to the leaders of the Congress Legislature Party meeting at the Suryagadha Hotel, several MLAs said that the rebels should not be "taken back" and certainly not accommodated at party posts and positions.
Senior Congress leaders from Delhi, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, stepped in to reassure him and even to an extent the Chief Minister himself. This was what the high command wanted, they were told.
Congress MLAs are expected to return to Jaipur and Fairmont Resort today, where they had waited for the crisis last month.
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