Congress Dismisses Talks Of Pilot Floating New Party As Mere Rumors

Congress leader KC Venugopal on Friday ruled out the possibility of dissident leader Sachin Pilot floating a new party.

Several media reports have speculated that Sachin Pilot would announce his own regional party on June 11, which is his father Rajesh's death anniversary.

"I don't think so. These are all rumours...To my knowledge, there is no such movement in Rajasthan. I had a word with Sachin Pilot 2-3 times. Don't worry, we will fight unitedly. Rajasthan Congress will be together. Don't believe these rumours," he told reporters.

Venugopal reiterated that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had recently talked to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Delhi in which both the Rajasthan leaders agreed to work unitedly.

Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have been at loggerheads for the chief minister's chair and often indulged in open spats, throwing barbs and leveling insinuations at each other since the Congress formed government in Rajasthan in 2018.

The grand old party is seeking to broker peace between the two ahead of the assembly elections in the state, slated for later this year.

There is intense speculation that Pilot may give a clear indication of his way forward on June 11 when he marks his father's death anniversary in Dausa.

Pilot, a vocal critic of the Gehlot government, has been raising concerns over the administration's alleged failure to address corruption cases that occurred during the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje.

Meanwhile, Pilot is scheduled to meet with top party officials, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday.

The meeting holds immense significance as the party aims to resolve the internal turmoil in Rajasthan and strengthen unity ahead of the crucial elections. The outcomes of these discussions is expected to shape the future course of politics in the state and could have far-reaching implications for the Congress party as a whole.