Express News Service
BHOPAL: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took the middle ground in the raging controversy over Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot calling his former deputy Sachin Pilot a traitor, saying both are assets for the party.
“I don’t want to go into who is saying what, all I can say is both leaders (Gehlot and Pilot) are assets for the party. I can guarantee that whatever is going on in Rajasthan isn’t going to affect the Bharat Jodo Yatra there,” Rahul said in Indore.
Gehlot’s barb was in retaliation to Pilot attacking him for the ‘interesting’ praise he drew from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their recent meeting. To restore peace among the warring factions and insulate Rahul’s yatra in Rajasthan from the fallout of the rift, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s emissary K C Venugopal will reach Jaipur on Tuesday. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to enter Rajasthan next week.
A day earlier, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had said the experience of Gehlot and the energy and youth of Pilot were equally important, adding he was surprised by the chief minister’s choice of words for Pilot. “The one who can strengthen the party organisation will be chosen in Rajasthan by the party’s top leadership. If a harsh decision has to be taken, it will be taken, but if compromise has to be struck, it too will be done,” Ramesh had said.
Back to the yatra, Rahul described it as penance to stand up for the idea of real India, adding it had taught him the virtues of patience. “Earlier I used to get irritated in one-two hours; now I remain patient for up to eight hours,” he said.
BHOPAL: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took the middle ground in the raging controversy over Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot calling his former deputy Sachin Pilot a traitor, saying both are assets for the party.
“I don’t want to go into who is saying what, all I can say is both leaders (Gehlot and Pilot) are assets for the party. I can guarantee that whatever is going on in Rajasthan isn’t going to affect the Bharat Jodo Yatra there,” Rahul said in Indore.
Gehlot’s barb was in retaliation to Pilot attacking him for the ‘interesting’ praise he drew from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their recent meeting. To restore peace among the warring factions and insulate Rahul’s yatra in Rajasthan from the fallout of the rift, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s emissary K C Venugopal will reach Jaipur on Tuesday. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to enter Rajasthan next week.
A day earlier, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had said the experience of Gehlot and the energy and youth of Pilot were equally important, adding he was surprised by the chief minister’s choice of words for Pilot. “The one who can strengthen the party organisation will be chosen in Rajasthan by the party’s top leadership. If a harsh decision has to be taken, it will be taken, but if compromise has to be struck, it too will be done,” Ramesh had said.
Back to the yatra, Rahul described it as penance to stand up for the idea of real India, adding it had taught him the virtues of patience. “Earlier I used to get irritated in one-two hours; now I remain patient for up to eight hours,” he said.
