After Congress's "Solution" To Chhattisgarh Feud, A Sachin Pilot Tweet

A virtual eleventh-hour appointment in Chhattisgarh, of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's rival TS Singh Deo as his deputy, may buy peace for the Congress ahead of polls due in December, but the move has once again turned the focus on its unresolved feud in Rajasthan.

Long-reported speculation that Sachin Pilot will be accommodated in a more seminal role in the party to ease the pressure on Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and to attempt some sort of detente before the Rajasthan election has not yet come to pass.

Sachin Pilot tweeted his congratulations to TS Singh Deo, whose revolt in 2021 brought the Congress government to the brink before the Gandhis intervened.

"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to TS Singh Deo for his appointment as Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh," Mr Pilot tweeted.

The three Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will vote later this year, at the same time.

Similar to the power struggle in Rajasthan between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, the conflict in Chhattisgarh emerged shortly after the party assumed power in 2018. In August 2021, Mr Deo asserted his right to the Chief Minister's post, claiming that the Congress had promised him a rotational arrangement. With the support of 55 out of 70 Congress MLAs, Mr Baghel made it clear he would not quit without a fight. Finally, the Gandhis stepped in and deemed that Mr Baghel would continue.

After the Congress's quick fix yesterday of elevating Mr Deo to number twot, questions were raised on Thursday about a role for Mr Pilot, whose solo campaign and unrelenting criticism of his own party government led by Ashok Gehlot, for months, has deeply embarrassed the Congress.

On Wednesday, senior Congress MLAs and the Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra met with the party leadership in Delhi. They held discussions with party president Kharge and in-charge SS Randhawa.

Mr Pilot's supporters say the Congress is yet to make good on its promise of a better deal for him after his 2020 revolt against Ashok Gehlot.

Ashok Gehlot, who paraded the support of a majority of Congress MLAs at the time, effectively thwarting any threat to his government, has kept up the feud with his younger rival, ensuring an upper hand in the power tussle.

Last year, Congress MLAs supporting Mr Gehlot threatened mass resignation amid reports that Mr Pilot could replace Mr Gehlot, who was in the race for Congress president. The crisis was staved off when the party chose Mallikarjun Kharge instead for the president election.