JAIPUR/NEW DELHI, July 13:
Congress MLAs were holed up at a resort near Jaipur, where a second legislature party meeting will be held tomorrow as the top leadership tries to woo back dissidents led by Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.
Former party president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are among the senior leaders who have been in touch with Pilot, sources said.
The second meeting of the Congress Legislature Party was announced several hours after the first one ended Monday afternoon, skipped by Pilot and 18 other party MLAs, according to one party source.
The Congress had issued a whip, asking all 107 Congress MLAs to be present at today meeting at the Chief Minister’s home. In addition, 15 Independents MLAs and those from the allies, were invited.
Party leaders said 106 of these 122 MLAs attended, a claim contested by the Pilot camp.
The meeting expressed support for the Gehlot government, adopting a resolution urging “strong disciplinary action” against any party office-bearer or CLP member who does anything to weaken the government or the party.
But it stopped short of naming Pilot, who also heads the party’s state unit.
Before the meeting, AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also adopted conciliatory tone, saying Pilot and other MLAs could still attend it.
“Doors are open for Sachin Pilot and other MLAs. They will be heard and solutions found. This is the discipline of the party,” he said.
Apart from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, former Union finance minister P Chidambaram and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal are learned to have spoken with Pilot.
As the CLP meeting ended, MLAs sat in waiting buses which took them to Fairmont hotel on the outskirts of Jaipur.
Hours later, Surjewala announced the CLP will meet again at 10 am on Tuesday at the hotel, a move seen as another attempt by the party to get the dissidents back into the fold.
“We request Sachin Pilot and all other MLAs to come,” he told reporters, adding that they will also be asked in writing.
“They are requested to come and discuss how we can strengthen Rajasthan together and serve the state’s eight crore people,” he said.
He said their problems will be solved. “Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are ready to listen to everyone and find solutions.”
Pilot has been upset since he was denied the Rajasthan chief minister’s post after the December 2018 assembly elections. (PTI)
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