Sachin Pilot may return to party fold; Congress works out 'reconciliation' plan: Sources

File pic: Zee News

New Delhi: Rajasthan politics has taken an interesting turn on Monday (August 10) as sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and other Congress rebel leaders are likely to come back and vote for Ashok Gehlot during the trust vote as the Assembly session is set on begin on August 14, according to sources.

Sachin Pilot is learned to have been touch with the Congress high command and has also spoken to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the phone. The high command has assured the rebel leader of not taking any action against him and sought his support for the Ashok Gehlot camp, sources in the Congress told Zee News. 

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is likely to decide on a "reconciliation" plan as discussions have taken place regarding the current situation.

Sachin Pilot is understood to have a positive meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. The meeting between the three leaders was learned to have been extremely emotional and Sachin Pilot gave the signs of a return to the party fold.

On Sunday, Sachin Pilot met senior AICC leaders and a separate meeting was also fixed with Rahul Gandhi, who on Monday met Pilot and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present there, said the sources.

Sachin Pilot explained the circumstances in which he took the drastic decision and he is understood to have said that he did nothing against Congress, rather he was merely opposing Ashok Gehlot, according to Sources.

Rahul Gandhi was also in regular touch with Sachin Pilot for the last three days, and several formulas have been considered for Pilot's return.

Among the formulas, the party is toying with the idea to make two senior leaders of the Pilot camp as Deputy Chief Ministers, while another option is also mulled to give Sachin Pilot a big responsibility in Delhi, sourced said.

Sachin Pilot is also being considered as the Congress party's Chief Ministerial candidate for the state in the future, sources said.

Last month, Sachin Pilot rebelled against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot along with 18 other MLAs and was sacked as deputy chief minister and the state Congress president after he failed to attend the Congress Legislature Party meetings.

Two other ministers from the Pilot camp were also dropped from the Ashok Gehlot Cabinet. The Congress appointed Govind Singh Dotasara as the president of the party’s Rajasthan unit.