Sachin Pilot, once a perpetually sulking dissident leader of Rajasthan, is now a member of the party’s supreme decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee. Pilot's inclusion in the CWC has come just ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly polls later this year and is being perceived as a part of the much talked about but never revealed formula of truce between CM Ashok Gehlot and Pilot.
Sachin Pilot unlikely to be face of Congress in Rajasthan
A section of the party still feels that the CWC induction ahead of the elections indicates that the party wants him out of Rajasthan and concentrate – for the time being -- on his role and responsibilities in the apex body at the Centre. If credence is given to this theory, Pilot is unlikely to be the face of Congress in the ensuing state election.
However, there are skeptics who point out that Pilot is a member of three poll-related panels of Rajasthan Congress, including the candidate screening committee; this, in turn, means that he is being elevated for tactical reasons and will be back in reckoning at some time in future.
‘‘Induction in the CWC doesn't mean that the party is moving him away from Rajasthan. On the contrary, his elevation underscores his importance in the party. Being a member of the screening committee and the CWC, he will have an important say in the selection of candidates,’’ said a senior leader of the party.
Sachin’s induction in CWC is also important keeping in mind the caste equations. Sachin hails from the Gurjar community – a major vote bank – which is seemingly annoyed with the party, as Sachin was not only denied the CM’s post but also dubbed ‘nikamma and nakara’ by CM Gehlot.
Gurjars are traditionally associated with the BJP in Rajasthan and are a dominating community in eastern Rajasthan; however, the BJP could bag only one seat in the last assembly elections as the community voted en masse for the Congress in the anticipation that Sachin Pilot will be the chief minister.
Besides Sachin, Mahendarjeet Singh Malviya is also a new entry in the CWC from Rajasthan. Malviya is a tribal leader from south Rajasthan and is a cabinet minister in the Gehlot government. He will replace Raghuveer Meena who was representing the tribal community for the last two terms.
Apart from these two leaders, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Jitendra Singh have been reinstated and Harish Choudhary will continue in CWC as the in-charge of Punjab Congress.
