'Act Within 15 Days Or...': Sachin Pilot's Ultimatum To Ashok Gehlot

Senior Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot has thrown another spanner in the works for his party, which is already struggling to soothe nerves in a tumultuous internal rivalry over the Chief Ministerial pick for Karnataka, with a 15-day 'ultimatum'. The former deputy chief minister, at the culmination of his five-day 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra', threatened to scale up agitation against his own party's government in the state if it fails to act against alleged corruption in the earlier BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje in 15 days.

Calling it the source of paper leaks, Mr Pilot demanded disbanding of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and its reconstitution, and a compensation for those affected by government job exam paper leak cases.

Sachin Pilot, seen by party loyalists as a loose canon, had yesterday said he and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot have to fight "unitedly" against corruption, however, Mr Gehlot did not take steps in this regard.

"We are getting people's support because our issues are essential. The chief minister is the face of the state, and CM Ashok Gehlot and I will have to unitedly fight against cases of corruption. But the Chief Minister has not taken any action I have been writing letters for a long time to take action against issues of corruption," Mr Pilot told news agency ANI on the fourth day of his Ajmer to Jaipur yatra.

Asked about unity in the Rajasthan Congress in view of upcoming state polls, he had said, "Neither do I hurl allegations at anyone nor do I have any rift with anyone on an individual level."

Mr Pilot credited the massive Congress victory in Karnataka to the alleged corruption in the previous BJP government.

"The results make it clear that the people of Karnataka had resolved to remove the 40-per cent commission government in the state. Corruption was the main issue in this election and it helped the Congress. Our focus now is to provide a clean and stable government to the people of the state and make good on our promises to provide jobs and ensure efficient delivery of services," Sachin Pilot said.

Rajasthan will go to Assembly polls later this year, where Congress is seeking another term ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

On Saturday, Congress won 135 of 224 seats pushing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power in the only southern state it ruled, boosting its own prospects for the electoral battles ahead. BJP managed to win 66 seats.