Pilot committed to party, 3-member panel to address issues raised by him: Congress

New Delhi, Aug 10: Congress on Monday said that Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan, bringing to an end the month-long political crisis in the state.

"Sachin Pilot has met with former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and expressed his grievances in detail. They have had a frank, open and conclusive discussion. Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan," said AICC Secretary KC Venugopal.

"Following this meeting, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has decided that the AICC will constitute a three member committee to address the issues raised by Sachin Pilot and the aggrieved MLA and arrive at an appropriate resolution thereof," it added.

Once all dissidents return, the Congress will have a total strength of 107 MLAs in the 200-member state Assembly where the simple majority is 101. The Congress also has the support of a number of independent MLAs.

BJP has 72 MLAs. Congress leaders also claimed that with this reproachment, "BJP's conspiracy" to break the party has been dashed and the Congress leadership has not yielded to demands of removal of Gehlot as chief minister.

A Congress leader said this is one of the "best fightbacks by the Congress" in saving its government and thwarting BJP's attempts to topple its government.

He alleged that BJP's efforts to bring in Pilot met with a revolt within the BJP by its former CM Vasundhara Raje, and the party had to lodge its MLAs in different locations. Meanwhile, party sources said a formula for Pilot's return was being worked out.

They said among the options, one possible agreement discussed during the Monday meeting was favourable voting by Pilot and MLAs loyal to him in case of a trust vote during the upcoming Rajasthan assembly session.

Pilot and 18 other MLAs had rebelled against Chief Minister Gehlot in Rajasthan, leading to Pilot's sacking as deputy chief minister and state party chief.

Reports add that some of the rebel MLAs have also been in touch with the Congress leadership in the last few days.

Pilot and other rebel MLAs would have faced disqualification in case they defied the Congress whip on the floor of the house.

Party leaders had held discussions with Congress MLAs lodged in Jaisalmer and had sought their views on the rebel party legislators on whether to accept them or not.

Meanwhile, after a rapprochement between the Congress and Pilot, the BJP is weighing its options and working to put up a united face against the Ashok Gehlot government ahead of the assembly session from August 14.