Gehlot, Pilot share rare public warmth at AICC meet

Jaipur: In a rare public display of warmth, Rajasthan Congress rivals Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot greeted each other cordially at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi Wednesday, days after Gehlot revived the politically sensitive Manesar episode.

The two leaders arrived for the OBC Congress Advisory Council meeting at Indira Gandhi Bhawan when Pilot noticed Gehlot’s car pulling up and walked forward to receive him. Gehlot stepped out and the two exchanged a warm handshake before walking inside together, smiling.

Spotting journalists, Gehlot joked, “Take photos, otherwise you will say we don’t get along. How else do we tell you? (Record karlo, phir kahoge banti nahi. Aur kaise bataye aapko batao?).”

The remark drew laughter from those around, including both leaders. Pilot responded in a similarly light tone: “Who else would come from behind (piche piche aur kaun aayega).” A journalist nearby remarked, “This is exactly what we wanted.”

The moment drew attention because of the pair’s long and often bitter political rivalry.

It came shortly after Gehlot, during a visit to Deedwana, referred again to the 2020 Manesar crisis where he alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah had encouraged Congress leaders and taken them to Manesar, comments widely seen as an indirect swipe at Pilot. Gehlot also credited Chetan Dudi and several other MLAs with “saving” the Congress govt at the time.

The Gehlot-Pilot rift repeatedly roiled Rajasthan politics during the Congress govt’s tenure. In July 2020, Pilot moved with a group of MLAs to Manesar, triggering a major political crisis. The fallout led to his removal as deputy chief minister and Rajasthan Congress chief. Gehlot then described him as “useless and worthless” before later urging that the party should “forgive and move forward”, but the strain remained even after that.