New Delhi: Amid the political battle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, all eyes are now on the Rajasthan High Court.
The court is hearing a case filed by Pilot and will further take up the matter on Tuesday.
Sources in the Congress said whichever way the court decision goes, then that camp will have an edge over the other in terms of bargaining, though Ashok Gehlot has the required numbers in the Assembly to prove his majority.
Sources close to the Pilot camp said if the court decision came in their favor, then the Congress leadership might be compelled to talk to Sachin Pilot on his terms.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala when asked about Pilot’s “homecoming” said, “The BJP has been exposed for its attempt to topple the elected government, and now they are saying that there is no need for a floor test and the matter of MLAs can be discussed within the party.”
The Congress Legislature Party held a meeting on Tuesday ahead of the High Court verdict.
“The matter of the family should be sorted out within the family. It cannot be resolved through media channels and Sachin Pilot should immediately stop taking favors from the BJP,” said Surjewala.
Congress sources said that attempts to reach out to pilots have not yielded any results. The Congress top leaders said there was no progress on the Pilot front but the government is now safe, and Sachin Pilot has to decide on a rapprochement with the party.
Earlier on Monday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in an unprecedented attack termed Sachin Pilot as “nikamma” and “nakara” (useless), which was responded to by Sachin Pilot who was sacked as Deputy Chief Minister and Pradesh Congress Committee chief. He said he was saddened but not surprised to be at the receiving end of such “baseless and vexatious allegations”.
“This is done solely to malign me and to stifle the legitimate concerns that I had raised against the party leadership of the state, as a member and MLA of the INC. This attempt further aims at defaming me and attacking my credibility.”