Three-member committee to address rebels’ grievances

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi decided on Monday to form a three-member committee to look into grievances of its rebel leaders in Rajasthan after Sachin Pilot met former party chief Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi to end a revolt that threatened chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s government.

The panel at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) level will have senior leaders as its members and it will “hear all the sides and also go into the details of the political turmoil” in the state before submitting its report, including a possible solution, to the Congress high command.

The committee will also discuss the possible changes in the organisation and the government, a Congress leader said, adding that the names of the committee members and the timeframe will be announced soon.

In a statement, KC Venugopal, Congress general secretary in charge of the organisation, said Pilot met with Gandhi and expressed his grievances in detail.

“They have had a frank, open and conclusive discussion. Shri Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan,” he said.

“Following this meeting, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided that the AICC will constitute a three member committee to address the issues raised by Shri Sachin Pilot and the aggrieved MLAs and arrive at an appropriate resolution thereof,” added Venugopal.

Congress leaders familiar with the development, however, ruled out that Pilot will be given back the positions he held till July 14, when he was sacked as the deputy chief minister and also removed as the Rajasthan Congress president.

Leaders close to the Pilot camp termed Monday’s development a “win-win situation” for the rebels.

“The Congress leadership appreciated that Pilot did not respond to utterances by the chief minister and other leaders owing allegiance to him. All issues that his supporters had raised will also be looked into,” said a leader close to the former deputy chief minister.

“The leadership also took cognisance that Pilot all along maintained that he will never join the BJP. Pilot is happy with the developments so far and is also confident that he will get his due in the future. Inevitability of it one cannot deny. Diwali will come if not today but in future definitely. If he agreed to come back, there must be some reason,” the leader added.

“Pilot also stressed that the grievances of his people should be addressed, they should get respect and their work should get done and he categorically stated that he does not want any post,” he said.

“The leadership also recognised the fact that if Pilot goes the government will certainly fall and the party will lose another state,” the leader further added.

Pilot and the legislators supporting him are expected to attend the assembly session, beginning August 14.