'There Were Doubts About Me...': Before Heading Back to Jaipur, Pilot Recalls 2013 Episode with Cong

Before heading to Jaipur following a truce with Congress to end political crisis in Rajasthan, sacked deputy CM Sachin Pilot said that party's plan to make him number two of chief minister Ashok Gehlot had not worked well, neither did the "uncalled for" FIRs registered against him and his colleagues.

Speaking exclusively to CNN News18, Pilot said that while he did not feel bitter or sad about the events that unfolded over the past one month in Rajasthan, it was also true that he was not being allowed to do the work that he and his loyalists wanted to do.

Rajasthan Police had slapped sedition charges against two rebel Congress MLAs who supported Sachin Pilot – Bhawarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh – and Union minister in Narendra Modi’s cabinet Gajendra Singh Shekhawat after three audio tapes were leaked on social media last month. These charges were later dropped by the police.

Hinting how many statements made against him in press interactions by Gehlot, had not gone down well with him, Pilot told News18, "There should be no arrogance that needs to be displayed. There should always be some decency in our discourse. Ashok Gehlot is a senior leader. There can always be misunderstandings but they do not need to be made public." He and his loyalists, Pilot said, had to take tough calls to make sure "that we did our work for the people in the right manner. One needs to work with conviction and needs to be answerable to the people."

Speaking to reporters on July 20 in Jaipur, Gehlot had said “Ek chhoti khabar bhi nahin padhi hogi kisine ki (Sachin) Pilot saahab ko Congress pradesh adhyaksh ke pad se hatana chahiye. Hum jante the ki woh (Sachin Pilot) nikamma hai, nakaara hai, kuch kaam nahin kar raha hai, khali logon ko ladva raha hai (You wouldn’t even have read a small piece of news that Pilot should be removed from the post of state Congress president. I knew he was useless and wasn’t doing anything. He was just making people fight,” Gehlot said.

Pilot also alleged that he and his supporters had been treated unfairly despite tirelessly working for the party. "In 2013, Congress was reduced to just 21 seats. I was given the task by Rahul Gandhi to rebuild a party. There were apprehensions about me but we worked hard and won the elections. I have been leading Congress in Rajasthan. We helped form the government but we were treated unfairly and there was a tipping point that forced us to raise our voice."

Pilot said that his issues had been addressed, the party had ordered an investigation into the issue raised by him and hoped for resolution of all intra-party issues. "My stand was always clear, we wanted a change; we voiced our opinion. Now that road map is set, I am sure there will be changes soon. We will work together in the state. All issues will be resolved."

Having worked in Rajasthan for the past 20 years, Pilot said, he would continue working there. This dissent was not personal in nature, Pilot said. "I have worked with every leader in Congress for 20 years. I had to answer the people. I would have been doing injustice to people and myself if I did not air my concerns."

After engineering a rebellion against the Ashok Gehlot government with 18 more MLAs, late on Monday night, Pilot tweeted that he stood firm “in belief and will continue working for a better India, to deliver on promises made to the people of Rajasthan and& protect democratic values we cherish” after returning to the party fold post a month-long political crisis in the state.