The Congress leader even staged a sit-in to reiterate his concerns just months before Rajasthan went to polls, a move that many saw as a couched rebellion against the Gehlot government for his unceremonious ouster from the government earlier.So, when the Rajasthan results poured in on Sunday afternoon and delivered Congress a drubbing, it likely served as a bitter-sweet moment for the “rebel”.
Should introspect what they have done for country: Sachin Pilot reacts to PM Modi’s appeasement remark
From Pilot, the leadership tussle between him and Gehlot will also have reached the point of no return. It is now widely accepted that infighting within Congress, skewed ticket distribution, and sidelining of many Pilot allies likely contributed to the upset.
With the Gujjar population sensing that a Congress win was unlikely, and the possibility of Pilot being appointed CM even less so, a section of youth and the community preferred to support BJP. PM Modi’s barb that Congress decision to “ignore” a Gujjar leader was an insult to the community could also rankle. Though Pilot won his own constituency, his margin of victory stood reduced from 2018 – down by over 25,000 votes. Congress, too, was unable to repeat a sweep of eastern Rajasthan, where it had won big in 2018 in the Gujjar-dominant belt.