Rajasthan Assembly Election 2018: Amid rift reports, Congress' Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot to contest polls
Rubbishing all the rift reports, Congress Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot both will contest the Rajasthan assembly election, scheduled on December 7. Mr Gehlot confirmed this in a joint conference by the two Congress leaders.
"Both, I and Sachin Pilot will fight the Rajasthan assembly elections," Ashok Gehlot, a former chief minister, told reporters in Delhi, Sachin Pilot by his side.
Sachin Pilot, who was also present in the press conference, agreed with the statement of Ashok Gehlot and denied any rift between the two leaders, as being quoted in the media.
He said, “On Congress president Rahul Gandhi's instruction and on Gehlotji's request, I have decided to contest the assembly elections.”
Sachin Pilot also added, "On Congress president Rahul Gandhi's instruction and on Gehlotji's request, I have decided to contest the assembly elections."
Both, I and Sachin Pilot will fight the Rajasthan assembly elections: Congress leader Ashok Gehlot in Delhi pic.twitter.com/C4uCxDS2ct
— ANI (@ANI) November 14, 2018
The sitting BJP MP Harish Meena switched sides by quitting the party and has joined the Congress party, in presence of Ashok Gehlot here in Delhi on Wednesday.
The BJP, under Vasundhara Raje government, has been facing a high anti-incumbency in the state and some right-wing groups are also protesting against the Raje’s government since a long period of time.
The Congress party in Rajasthan is said to be deeply divided among the two factions, one headed by the former CM Ashok Gehlot and the other by Sachin Pilot. The result of the assembly election will be declared on December 11.
First published: 14 November 2018, 14:22 IST