NEW DELHI: Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has revived his long-running political differences with Congress leader Sachin Pilot, saying he remains hurt that Pilot never publicly acknowledged his role in helping him become a Union minister.Speaking in Jaipur, Gehlot said Pilot was aware of the support he had received but chose not to mention it publicly, a grievance that continues to weigh on him.“Sachin Pilot was made a Union Minister, and I helped in that process. Yet, he never acknowledged it in his statements—a fact I have a grievance about. He knows I helped him. When he called me, I told him I had spoken on his behalf and that he would become a minister. But he never voiced this himself. It is hurtful to me. If he had simply told his friends that Ashok Gehlot helped me, I would have been deeply touched. Why didn’t he say it? When he was calling me and requesting my help to become a minister, and I helped him, wasn’t it his duty to acknowledge it later? He didn’t say it, and that is why matters have escalated to this point...” Gehlot said.The remarks come days after Gehlot sought to downplay differences within the Rajasthan Congress and urged social media users not to target Pilot.In a post on X, Gehlot said, “And on social media, I want to say—please stick to the truth, and don’t harm Sachin Pilot. You’ve already caused a lot of damage, a lot of damage. You’ve done so much damage you can’t even imagine—I keep hearing it directly from him.”Also read – ‘If Sonia Gandhi offered, would I refuse?’ Ashok Gehlot’s ‘big conspiracy’ charge on Congress presidential pollGehlot also revisited the controversy surrounding the 2022 Congress presidential election, claiming a “big conspiracy” had created a false perception that he wanted to remain Rajasthan chief minister instead of becoming Congress president.Questioning the narrative that emerged during the leadership tussle, Gehlot said, “I was going to become Congress President… and now Sonia Gandhi and Congress are making me that Congress President, so should I refuse? Should I refuse?”He further alleged that events surrounding the Rajasthan political crisis unfairly damaged his reputation.“They created such a situation—and that too was a conspiracy, in my opinion. I think it was a big conspiracy. Suddenly observers arrived, suddenly there was a tamasha, and I got defamed,” he said.Gehlot said many people still believe he orchestrated the 2022 revolt by MLAs loyal to him to retain the chief minister’s post, a perception he insists is incorrect.Recalling the episode, he said he later apologised to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi because he was then the leader of the Congress Legislature Party and felt responsible for the developments.“I went and expressed my sorry in front of Madam that I was the leader of the legislative party. The party has given me everything, and even after that this situation arose, so I apologize,” Gehlot said.
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