Congress sacks Sachin Pilot from party positions, Ashok Gehlot says 'friends went astray'

Following his absence from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting for the second consecutive day, held on Tuesday, Sachin Pilot was sacked from his party positions, Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala announced here.

The two other absentee MLAs -- Vishvender Singh and Ramesh Meena -- have also been dropped from the Cabinet.

"Sachin Pilot, Vishvender Singh and Ramesh Meena have been removed from the posts of Deputy Chief Minister and Ministerial posts respectively. Sachin Pilot has also been removed as the Rajasthan PCC Chief," said Surjewala.

Speaking to reporters Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said: "High command was compelled to take the decision because since a long time BJP was conspiring and resorting to horse-trading. We knew it was a big conspiracy; now some of our friends went astray because of it and went to Delhi."

After Gehlot met Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur, the Governor has accepted the resignations of all three party members.

"I regret that Sachin Pilot and some of his associates have been swayed by BJP's plot and are now conspiring to topple the Congress government elected by eight crore Rajasthanis. It is unacceptable," Surjewala said.

Soon after Pilot was sacked from the party, he tweeted: "Truth can be troubled but not defeated."

Govind Singh Dotasra has been appointed as the new PCC chief, Surjewala announced.

"Our very experienced and capable worker, who was born in a farmer's family and today he is serving as Rajasthan's Education Minister--Govind Singh Dotasra has been appointed as Rajasthan PCC Chief," said Surjewala.

"Our fellow MLA Ganesh Gogra is appointed as the new President of Rajasthan Prant Yuva Congress. Hem Singh Shekhawat has been appointed as the President of Rajasthan Pradesh Seva Dal. Congress Policy is not based on people but on policies and principles. Our government is based on the opinion of the people of Rajasthan," he added. Surjewala assured that for the whole five years, the Congress government would serve the people of Rajasthan.

The decision was taken after a CLP meeting at the Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur, Rajasthan earlier today.

At the meeting, as many as 102 MLAs unanimously demanded that Sachin Pilot should be removed from the party, said sources.

During the meeting, all the MLAs stood up and raised their hands showing solidarity to sack Pilot.

The Rajasthan Congress is in turmoil over the past few days. While Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has been camping in Delhi.

A controversy broke out in Rajasthan after Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG in the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the State.

The Rajasthan political turmoil can be compared to Madhya Pradesh's recent political uproar where the grand old party lost the government to the BJP after Jyotiraditya Scindia switched to BJP along with his supporters following differences with former Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

-ANI

Also Read: Congress sacks Sachin Pilot as Rajasthan Deputy CM, PCC chief