Gehlot's adviser raises question over Pilot's role soon after cabinet reshuffle

Ramkesh Meena, an independent MLA, who has been appointed adviser to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after the cabinet reshuffle, has said that there can be nothing worse for the Congress if the party has to go for 2023 polls under Sachin Pilot.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Meena alleged that Pilot had been misleading the Congress high-command and has been running a campaign for over a year to ensure that independent MLAs and those from the BSP do not get a ministerial berth.

"If we go to the polls under his (Sachin Pilot) leadership, I will meet high command and tell them that he already carried out a mutiny in Rajasthan by cancelling tickets and damaging the party. If we go to 2023 polls under him, there can be nothing worse for the party," Meena said.

"Depends on how the high command was informed, they were told again and again that independent MLAs and those from BSP are not needed at all," he added.

On Sunday, 15 ministers -- 11 of cabinet rank and four ministers of state -- were inducted into Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's cabinet.

Earlier, Pilot expressed his satisfaction over the move and stated that the inclusion of four Dalit ministers in the Cabinet has sent out a positive message about the party and the state government.

He also asserted that "there are no factions in the party and the decision of Cabinet reshuffle has been taken together."

The cabinet reshuffle was expected for a long time after Pilot had rebelled against Gehlot's working style in July last year. Following the rebellion, Sachin Pilot was stripped off from the posts of state Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee Chief. His loyalists Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena were also removed from their ministerial posts.

After the Gandhi family's intervention, Pilot agreed to work for the party. A committee was also set up under state Congress in-charge Ajay Maken to look into the issues raised by Pilot and his camp.

Also, this is the first cabinet reshuffle of the Gehlot government since it came to power in December 2018. Rajasthan will go for the Assembly polls in 2023.

( With inputs from ANI )