Sachin Pilot’s sharp reaction after Gurjar leader’s threat to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra

A day after Gurjar leader Vijay Singh Bainsla threatened to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.

In Rajasthan, Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday distanced himself from the threat and asserted that the march will be successful in the state, news agency PTI reported.

Accusing the BJP of trying to create “disturbances”, Pilot said, “No matter how hard the BJP tries, the yatra will be successful.” Pilot was replying to queries about Bainsla’s threat.

“The BJP may try to create disturbances…but it is ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ and it will be successful. We will all welcome the yatra with unity,” Pilot said outside the party’s war room where a meeting has been convened to review preparations for the foot march.

Bainsla, the Gurjar Arakshan Sangharh Samiti leader, has triggered another round of tension after he threatened to oppose Gandhi’s yatra in the state unless his demands, including making Pilot, a prominent face from the community, the chief minister are accepted.

Bainsla has also accused the Congress government of not fulfilling the promises made to the community.

On Bainsla’s remarks that the community had voted for the Congress believing that a Gurjar leader will be made the chief minister, Pilot said the Congress was reduced to 21 seats in the 2013 assembly elections, but the people gave it a mandate in the 2018 elections.

The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said he was confident that the yatra will be “historic” and that the people are excited.

“People from all communities want the yatra to come to the state. From here, it will be a new beginning for the Congress…for elections and for the people of the state,” he said.

The Congress leader, who attended the meeting at the war room briefly, said the yatra is expected to enter Rajasthan between December 3 to 6, but the exact date will be fixed later.

“The yatra will be taken out for 15-18 days and will culminate with a rally in Alwar. It will be a big rally in view of the assembly elections next year and will give a positive message,” he added.

Why Gurjar community important in Rajasthan?
The Gurjar community constitutes five to six per cent of the state’s population and is influential in over 40 seats, mainly in eastern Rajasthan. This region includes the districts from where the yatra is scheduled to pass.

Infighting between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot over the post of chief ministers has been going on for a long, an issue which has triggered two political crises in four years of the Congress government.

“The current Congress government has completed four years and one year is left. Now Sachin Pilot should be made the chief minister. If this happens, then you (Rahul Gandhi) are welcome. We will oppose otherwise,” Bainsla said.

In a video statement after a meeting with community members, he said Gandhi should visit Rajasthan “either with a Gurjar chief minister or with a reply over the issue”.