Gehlot targets Pilot whenever he senses a larger role for him: Ex-OSD

Jaipur: Former officer on special duty to ex-Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Lokesh Sharma leveled accusations against his one-time political mentor during a press conference here Tuesday. Sharma claimed that Gehlot has been distorting the narrative surrounding the 2020 political crisis within the Rajasthan Congress to undermine ex-Deputy CM Sachin Pilot.

Sharma called into question Gehlot’s assertions regarding a conspiracy involving senior BJP members aimed at destabilising his previous govt. “If Gehlot truly believed there was a conspiracy involving senior members of the BJP to topple his govt, why was no FIR filed? Such grave allegations should be substantiated with legal action,” Sharma said.

He further argued that Gehlot’s persistent references to the 2020 crisis serve to continuously target Pilot, even long after the conflict has been resolved. Reflecting on the political upheaval, Sharma noted that a resolution was ultimately achieved with the mediation of the late Congressman Ahmed Patel, which included a clear understanding that the Congress MLAs who had revolted against the Gehlot govt would be reinstated within the party.

Sharma also claimed that Gehlot becomes uneasy whenever discussions arise within Congress about granting Pilot a larger role. “I believe that these recent comments (by Gehlot) are directly tied to the speculation surrounding Pilot’s future position in the Congress,” he said