Sachin Pilot Eyes Weak Spot In Ashok Gehlot vs Rajasthan Jat Leader

Congress leader Sachin Pilot's programmes appear to be diverging from the Congress formula in Rajasthan.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is focussing only on delivery of his social welfare programmes, personally criss-crossing the state to inspect camps where people are lining up to register for government aid.

Mr Pilot has, however, made a foray into unknown territory in western Rajasthan's Barmer, which is not a Congress stronghold. His outreach is driven by two key Congress leaders from western Rajasthan - Harish Chaudhary and Hemaram Chaudhary.

Harish Chaudhary is the Congress in-charge for Punjab, and Hemaram Chaudhary is a minister in the Gehlot government.

Mr Pilot's outreach in western Rajasthan's Barmer is significant as his stronghold is considered to be eastern Rajasthan's regions dominated by Gujjar and Meena.

Barmer is also the district next to Jodhpur, the constituency of Mr Gehlot.

Making inroads into the vote bank of Jats - a significant, politically active population in Rajasthan - is important for Mr Pilot.

The Jats have for long demanded a Chief Minister from their community in Rajasthan. They have often opposed Mr Gehlot, who was traditional rivals with Paras Ram Maderna, a former Congress and Jat leader.

Mr Pilot appears to be stepping into this fissure between Mr Gehlot and Jat leaders, with Jat leaders like Harish Chaudhary and Hemaram Chaudhary by his side.

After the event, Mr Pilot raised the issues of exam paper leaks in Rajasthan and how they unfair to young people and his fight against corruption.

Mr Pilot told reporters he had written to Mr Gehlot about it, and asked if the Congress is making corruption an issue in Karnataka, why can't the party address the issue of corruption in the previous BJP government in Rajasthan.

"Whenever there has been corruption, we have opposed it. In Karnataka, too, we are fighting the election against the corruption. After what happened in the previous BJP government in Rajasthan, we should act on our commitment to punish the corrupt. I have raised this issue and written to the Chief Minister and will continue to do so," Mr Pilot told reporters.

On the exam paper leaks, Mr Pilot said the Gehlot government should take swift action in catching those behind the leak. "Why does it take so long to act against those who play with the future of youngsters?" Mr Pilot said.