Vote for Congress again in next assembly polls: Sachin Pilot

Jaipur: Amid his tussle with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress leader Sachin pilot recalled his contribution in bringing the party to power in the state in 2018 and urged people to vote for Congress again in the next assembly polls.

The former state Congress chief was addressing a Kisan Sammelan in Hanumangarh district where he raised the issue of exam paper leaks again. Pilot had on Monday asked the state government to take action against the "big sharks" behind the string of paper leaks reported recently.

The former deputy chief minister said concrete measures are needed to check paper leaks and win the trust of the people.

“No matter how big the accused is, a resolution has to be taken not to spare him. I also hope that work is being done in this direction and will continue in the future,” he said.

It was Pilot's second of the five planned Kisan Sammelans in the state through which, he is reaching out to farmers, youths and party workers in view of the assembly elections due later this year.

Pilot, who took the reins of the Pradesh Congress Committee after the party lost in the 2013 assembly elections, said the Congress had shrunk to 21 MLAs back then. But due to the hardwork and struggle of party leaders and workers and support of farmers and youths, the Congress formed the government in 2018.

He urged the people to show the same support to the party in the 2023 assembly elections.

"I was given the responsibility of PCC chief after the party's defeat in 2013. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi had said the situation in Rajasthan had worsened and they wanted a change. They wanted the youth to come forward. I was given a tough challenge. That time, our MLAs were only 21 and only two ministers had won,” he said.

Not a single candidate of the party won on seats reserved for SCs and STs and the Dalit community had moved away from the party in 2013.

"Today, there are 30 SC, ST MLAs of the Congress party. You showed trust. We took out padyatras, went among the people, did everything to win the trust of people. Vasundhara Raje government (BJP) was corrupt, we raised voice against it. Today, we have the government of majority,” he said, talking about the 2018 assembly polls.

Pilot said both the Congress and the BJP have ruled the state but the people should realise which which government has worked for the farmers.

There has been a trend in Rajasthan for 30 years that power alternates between the BJP and the Congress after every five years. But this time, the trend of changing the government after every five years should end, Pilot said as he urged the people to support Congress in the next elections.

"When the Congress party can form the government again in other states, why cannot the government repeat in Rajasthan? We have to think about it, how to win the hearts of the people, how to connect with the sentiments of the people,” he said.

Pilot also targeted the central government over the issues of farmers and the Agniveer scheme.

Pilot will address similar meetings in Jhunjhunu (Wednesday), Pali (Thursday) and Jaipur (Friday).