Jaipur, June 8 (IANS) Few political rivalries in Indian politics have been as prolonged, dramatic, and consequential as the battle between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan. What began as a struggle for leadership within the Congress eventually emerged into a fierce contest over power, succession, and political legitimacy.
Six years on, the two leaders have exchanged words such as “nikamma” (incompetent), “nakara” (useless), and “gaddar” (traitor). Yet they have also referred to each other as family, with Pilot calling Gehlot a father figure and Gehlot recently describing Pilot as “putratulya” (like a son).
The latest chapter unfolded on June 8 when Gehlot reopened one of the most contentious episodes in Rajasthan Congress politics, the events of September 25, 2022.
Gehlot said the incident was not a revolt against the High Command but directed against Pilot. He recalled that he was then a proposed candidate for the Congress president’s post and viewed it as a matter of immense responsibility.
“I was in the race for the Congress presidency, a significant position. I am not so ignorant that I would abandon such a responsibility merely to remain Chief Minister,” he said, adding that it was a plot to stop him from contesting for the top post.
Pilot camp leaders told IANS that Gehlot becomes vocal only when the High Command shows interest in elevating Pilot’s role. They added that Gehlot seemed keen to take up the Congress presidential post, which he had missed earlier, citing Pushkar as one such incident.
The roots of the feud trace back to July 2020, when Pilot, then Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress president, rebelled against the Gehlot government alongside a group of MLAs and camped in Manesar, Haryana. The Congress leadership eventually removed Pilot from both posts.
It was during this period that Gehlot launched some of his sharpest attacks, calling Pilot “nikamma” and “nakara”. Pilot responded indirectly through a social media post: “Truth can be harassed, but it cannot be defeated.”
Following intervention by the Congress High Command, Pilot returned to the party fold in August 2020. But while the truce was restored, the trust deficit remained. Pilot denied any intention of joining the BJP, accusing unnamed leaders of spreading misinformation.
The rivalry peaked on September 25, 2022, when speculation grew that Pilot would replace Gehlot as Chief Minister. A scheduled meeting of Congress legislators failed after 82 MLAs loyal to Gehlot threatened resignation. The episode embarrassed the party leadership and stalled any transition of power.
In November 2022, Gehlot publicly called Pilot a “gaddar”, saying a traitor could not become Chief Minister. Pilot described the remarks as inappropriate but softened the blow by adding: “The Chief Minister is like a father figure to me.”
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, eventually stepped in, describing both Gehlot and Pilot as assets to the Congress.
In April this year, when BJP leader Radhamohan Das Agarwal suggested Pilot had “one leg in Congress and the other somewhere else,” Gehlot defended him, saying both of Pilot’s legs were in the Congress.
Then came the photo-op moment on April 22 in New Delhi. As photographers gathered before a Congress meeting, Gehlot joked: “Take the photo, otherwise you’ll say we don’t get along.” Pilot smiled, and the cameras clicked.
But the smiles proved temporary. Within weeks, Gehlot was once again talking about Manesar, September 25, and Pilot’s role in the crisis.
For six years, the Gehlot-Pilot saga has shaped Rajasthan Congress politics more than elections, manifestos, or organisational changes. Until that changes, Rajasthan’s most enduring political rivalry is unlikely to fade away.
