'We are united': Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot appear together days after ‘gaddar’ row

Reacting to gaddar row, Rahul Gandhi clearly stated that both Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are assets to the party.

Jaipur, Nov 29: Days after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hurled 'gaddar' remark at Sachin Pilot, the two Congress leaders appeared together in a show of unity on Tuesday.

"When Rahul Gandhi has said that our leaders are assets then we are assets... where is the dispute then," Gehlot said when asked about the former party president's observation.

Gehlot's remarks were in sharp contrast to the interview he gave last week to NDTV, calling Pilot, with whom he is caught in a tussle for power, a "traitor".

Asked to comment, Gandhi had told reporters in Indore on Monday that both leaders were assets to the party. Last week's jibe by Gehlot - and a sharp response from Pilot - came just days before Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to enter Rajasthan.

"This is the beauty of our party that after our top leader says anything, there is no scope (for further argument)," Gehlot told reporters here before attending a party meeting to review preparations for the yatra. Gehlot and Pilot greeted each other in the "war room" set up for the yatra. All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal and state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra were among the leaders who attended the meeting.

"We are united. Here Ashok Ji and Sachin Pilot Ji have said that the Congress party in Rajasthan is united." Venugopal reiterated Rahul Gandhi's earlier remark when he had said both Gehlot and Pilot are "assets" to the Congress party, said Venugopal.

The Congress on Thursday said their differences would be resolved in a manner that strengthens the party and asserted that the focus right now should be on the success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"Ashok Gehlot is a senior and experienced political leader. Whatever differences he has expressed with his younger colleague Sachin Pilot will be resolved in a manner that strengthens the Congress," said Jairam Ramesh, General Secretary in-charge Communications, Congress.

In an interview with NDTV last week, he called Pilot a traitor six times.

"A man who doesn't have 10 MLAs, who revolted against his own party. A gaddar (traitor) cannot be Chief Minister," Gehlot said on Thursday.

Gehlot's statement comes amid Sachin Pilot's camp is seen pushing Congress to make him the chief minister.