‘We are going to form the next govt in Rajasthan’

: Winning elections is a sustained effort and takes months and years of hard work, says Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot who is upbeat over the party’s prospects after its victories in the recent by-elections to two Lok Sabha seats and one assembly seat in the desert state. “We don’t win elections in the last two weeks of campaign,” he adds.

In an interview to Hindustan Times, the 40-year-old shared his views on what worked in Congress’ favour, necessity of a rainbow election for upcoming polls and party president Rahul Gandhi. Some excerpts:

What are the factors that went against the ruling BJP in Rajasthan?

Two things are clear. One is that there has been complete rejection of the Vasundhara Raje government and the BJP in Rajasthan… It is also the acceptance of the principled stand taken by the Congress on various issues such as unemployment, agrarian distress and corruption.

Would you be able to sustain the momentum till the next elections?

We have been in election mode from day one. We are ready and the people of Rajasthan are ready and we are definitely going to form the next government there.

Should the Congress announce its chief ministerial candidate?

We believe in fighting the elections as a joint team… But this question is more pertinent to BJP which has not announced Vasundharaji as its CM candidate.

NEW DELHI

Can Rahul Gandhi be a face of the opposition in LS polls?

Mr Gandhi’s aggression, his questions to the government on various issues be it jobs, corruption, defence deals, agrarian crisis, etc, has strengthened the opposition camp. In the time to come, you will see a rainbow coalition with

Congress as the pivot.