Congress sacks Sachin Pilot from Rajasthan Deputy CM post

Jaipur:The Congress sacked rebel leader Sachin pilot as Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and from all other posts after he skipped the second meeting of party MLAs on Tuesday.The party also dropped his loyalists Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena from the state cabinet.

A meeting was scheduled to take place today at 1000 hrs. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surejewala, who announced the latest move by his party, had earlier urged Mr Pilot to come and discuss issues with an 'open mind' in the meeting, however, his request was ignored.

"Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi among several leaders spoke to Mr Pilot several times. We appealed to him time and again and assured him of solving all issues", Surjewala told media persons while announcing Pilot's fate.

"The Congress made Sachin Pilot a Union minister in his 30s, a deputy chief minister in his 40s..We have given Sachin Pilot many opportunities. He has been an MP, MoS and a state party president. I am sad that he and some of his colleagues have fallen for a trap laid by the BJP...This is unacceptable," the spokesperson said further.Education Minister Govind Singh Dostra has been made the new party chief.

Truth can not be defeated, Pilot on his sacking

New Delhi: Rajasthan's former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who was sacked from the post on Tuesday, said truth can be troubled but not defeated."Truth can be troubled but not defeated," Mr Pilot wrote in hindi on his twitter handle.

The reaction from the Rajasthan leader came after he was sacked from the post of deputy CM as well as all others after he skipped second consecutive meeting of Congress Party Legislative called in Jaipur to discuss changing political situation of the desert state.

Replacing Mr Pilot, Education Minister Govind Singh Dostra has been made the new Congress chief of Rajasthan.

The party has also dropped Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena from the state cabinet.

A meeting was scheduled to take place at 1000 hrs. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surejewala, who has been sent to Jaipur by party's high command to settle the political turmoil, had urged Mr Pilot to come and discuss the issues with an 'open mind' in the meeting, which was ignored by Mr Pilot.

"Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi among several leaders spoke to Mr Pilot several times. We appealed to him time and again and assured him of solving all issues", M Surjewala told mediapersons in Jaipur while announcing the sacking of Pilot.

"The Congress made Sachin Pilot a Union minister in his 30s, a deputy chief minister in his 40s..We have given Sachin Pilot many opportunities. He has been an MP, MoS and a state party president. I am sad that he and some of his colleagues have fallen for a trap laid by the BJP...This is unacceptable," the spokesperson said further.

On Monday, a resolution was passed by the CLP for a disciplinary action against anyone involved in anti-party activities. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Mr Pilot continues to be away from his home state and remains in Delhi. The young leader has claimed that he has a support of over 30 Congress MLA, sufficient to topple the Gehlot-ruled government.

As per sources, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and her sister and Uttar Pradesh general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have reached out to Mr Pilot, but in vain.

To re-join Gehlot fold, Mr Pilot has demanded Home and Finance portfolios apart from remaining the party president for Rajasthan, the sources had claimed.

The political turmoil began in the state when Special Operation Group (SOG) constituted by the chief minister asked Mr Pilot to record his statement over alleged attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party to poach Congress MLAs before Rajya Sabha polls last month. Later, the SOG also sent a letter to the chief minister for his statements, but Mr Pilot called it a 'coverup' to the 'harassment' faced by him.

In the 200-member State Assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs, while the BJP 72. The ruling paty has the support of one Rashtyia Lok Dal, two Communist Party of India (Marxist), two Bharatiya Tribal Party MLAs and 13 Independents.(UNI)