Sachin Pilot was hurriedly sacked as the Deputy Chief Minister and the chief of the Pradesh Congress Committee Chief by Ashok Gehlot, the CM of Rajasthan.
The CM may have had all the powers to reassign, rescind the appointments of his Cabinet colleagues, but the CM may have erred in removing Sachin Pilot from the post of PCC Rajasthan Chief, which may have to follow some norms. Issuing a whip for the Congress Legislature Party when the Assembly is not in the session itself is debatable and may not be valid.
The entry of an ever-ambitious BJP’s former RajCM, Vijay Raje into the scene has changed the complexity of Raj politics. Finding Gehlot an easier adversary than the youthful Sachin, she is reportedly supporting Gehlot. It was Sachin Pilot’s intensive campaign, which vanquished Vijay Raje in the last Assembly polls. The move to support Gehlot may be a clever ploy by the BJP High command to cause confusion and an air of unpredictability amongst the fence-sitting Congress legislators
The Raj HC would be hearing the petition of Pilot, contesting his dismissals for dissension shown. His removal as a CM may be unchallengeable, while removal as the PCC chief non-maintainable.
Several Congress leaders, including Kapil Sibal, Manu Singhvi and Sashi Tharoor are shocked at the ‘letting go’ of young leaders from their party and have boldly spoken against it.
My opinion is, Pilot is merely forced to the wall, to justify his joining BJP eventually. His paltry 18 MLAs may not last long in his grip if he delays his ‘back to power’ position.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
Pic: Old memories
