Wilting under the schism between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress leader Sachin Pilot, the collective clamour for change in leadership had been growing in the Pilot camp.
They are unassailable as the Cabinet reshuffle and expansion along with delayed political appointments have peeved them.
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One of the Pilot loyalists said that in there is no grassroot presence, funds exhausted and in the present situation they will be unable to contest the Assembly elections as in December the government completes three years in office and the last year of the stint will be spent drawing up poll preparations.
“We have conveyed the message to the Congress high command and hope for the best,” the Pilot loyalists added.
Congress workers in Rajasthan have questioned the absence of party president Sonia Gandhi during a meeting of Gehlot, Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken along with Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in which the issues sapping the state was discussed at length.
“Is she (Sonia Gandhi) also anguished over the delays in Cabinet expansion,” asked a Congress worker.
Sources said that Gehlot expressed his annoyance in the meeting over Rahul Gandhi’s alleged refusal to respond to calls.
The issues have aggrieved the Gandhi family too, said sources, and hence the Pilot camps is expecting nothing less than a change of leadership in the state, said a Congress worker.
“Had it been a simple matter of accommodating ministers from the Pilot camp in the government, it would not have got so late. The issue now is different and we are working to resolve it,” he added.