Cong dismisses reports of Sachin Pilot floating own party as ‘rumours’

PTI, Jun 9, 2023, 5:26 PM IST

The Congress on Friday dismissed as rumours reports that its leader Sachin Pilot may announce a separate party on his father Rajesh Pilot’s death anniversary on June 11.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the party is united and will contest the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan together, a day ahead of a programme planned to pay homage to Rajesh Pilot on his death anniversary.

”I don’t believe in rumours. The reality is that the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi discussed with Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot and after that we said that we will go together. That is the position of the Congress party,” he told PTI.

”In my knowledge, there is no such thing,” he said, when asked specifically about reports of Pilot floating a new party.

Venugopal said he has met Pilot in the recent days and there is no such thing.

He also told the media to be optimistic and not believe in such rumours.

”Who told you he is going out of the party. These are imaginary… rumours. Don’t believe these rumours. Be optimistic. Don’t worry, we will fight unitedly. The Rajasthan Congress will fight unitedly,” he also said.

There are reports that Sachin Pilot, who is engaged in a tussle for power in Rajasthan ever since the Congress won the state in 2018, may announce his own party.

Pilot launched a tirade against the Gehlot government on the issue of corruption and demanded action against those involved in corruption in the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje. He also accused the Gehlot government of not acting against the corrupt.

He had launched a yatra and sat on a day-long fast alleging inaction by the Gehlot government against the corrupt.

Thereafter, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and Venugopal sat with both Gehlot and Pilot and after hours of deliberations announced that the two would contest the next assembly polls unitedly.

Congress general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had earlier also ruled out the possibility of Pilot floating a new party. Randhawa said in Jaipur earlier this week that the party will assign responsibilities to Rajasthan leaders according to their stature.