Ahead of special assembly session, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot meet for first time, flash victory sign

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday met former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot at his residence for the first time ever since the two fell out over various issues last month.

Gehlot, Pilot and other senior state Congress leaders gathered at the residence of the Chief Minister who had convened a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) at 5 PM - the first since the reconciliation efforts in the party started showing some results. 

In a show of solidarity, the Congress leaders flashed victory signs before the commencement of the Congress Legislature Party meeting.

#RajasthanPolitical: गहलोत-पायलट ने दिखाया विक्ट्री का साइन

कांग्रेस विधायक दल की बैठक में सचिन पायलट और गहलोत की मुलाकात की कुछ #Pics,जो शायद अब #Rajasthan के सियासी घटनाक्रम के अंत की ओर इशारा कर रही है।।#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis #Sachin_pilot #AshokGehlot @SachinPilot pic.twitter.com/fvngRq4kBf — ZEE Rajasthan (@zeerajasthan_) August 13, 2020

On August 11, a CLP meeting was held by Gehlot at Suryagarh hotel in Jaisalmer where party MLAs were camped for the last few days. This was the first meeting of MLAs after reconciliation talks between Pilot and party leadership in Delhi.

The reconciliation has come right ahead of the commencement of the special session of the Rajasthan Assembly on August 14. 

In a related development, Congress General Secretary Avinash Pande said the suspension of two MLAs accused of conspiring with the BJP to bring down the government was being revoked. 

"After a consultative discussion, the suspension of @INCRajasthan MLA Sh. Bhanwarlal Sharma ji and Sh. @vishvendrabtp ji is hereby revoked," he said.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has said that it will bring a no-confidence motion in the Assembly tomorrow. 

“We are bringing a no-confidence motion tomorrow in the Assembly along with our allies," Gulab Chand Kataria, the Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly, said. 

"There are a lot of differences in the government. The way they have struggled, there are chances that they might bring a vote of confidence in the Assembly, but we are also ready to bring a no-confidence motion," Rajasthan BJP president Satish Punia said. 

Earlier in the day, Gehlot said whatever misunderstanding occurred within the Congress party in the last one month, need to be forgiven and forgotten in the interest of the country, state, people and in the interest of democracy.

Last month, Pilot was removed as Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress chief after his differences with Gehlot came out in open triggering a political crisis in the state. Pilot was reportedly miffed after the SOG sent him a notice to record his statement in a case of alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the state.

However, this apparently seems to have ended now as Pilot has agreed to work for the party after a meeting with the Congress top leadership.