Sachin Pilot, Pradesh Committee Chief and one of the contenders for the chief minister’s post in Rajasthan, appealed for peace to his supporters after protests erupted in Karauli on Thursday, 13 December.
He tweeted, “I appeal to party workers to maintain peace and decorum. I have full faith in the leadership, we will welcome whatever Rahul Gandhi ji and Sonia Gandhi ji decide. It is our responsibility to uphold the honour of the party, we are dedicated to the party.”
WHAT WE KNOW
His appeal came in the wake of reports of incidents of violence in various parts of Rajasthan, allegedly by his supporters demanding his appointment as chief minister.
Protesters blocked the Jaipur-Agra highway at Dausa for some time, burning old tyres. There was a similar disruption on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway, and attempts to block traffic on other roads.
In Karauli, about 25 youths burnt tyres on the road, police said.
In Dausa, some people gathered at the Jaipur-Agra highway near Patoli for about 30 minutes before being dispersed, police said.
Some people also gathered at the Jaipur-Ajmer highway near Ghooghra in Ajmer and burnt tyres," Special DG (Law and Order) N R K Reddy told PTI.
The blockage was cleared by the police, he said.
“Similar demonstrations were held in Karauli's Hindaun in the evening but the police controlled the situation quickly,” he said.
Six people climbed atop an overhead water tank in Bandikui in Dausa but were later persuaded to come down, he added.
GEHLOT AND PILOT IN THE RACE FOR CM POST
An apparent tussle between the old and the young guard in the Congress seems to have delayed the announcement of chief ministers for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, as the party leadership carried out hours-long hectic deliberations before deciding on names.
The chief minister aspirants in Rajasthan (Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot) and Madhya Pradesh (Kamal Nath and Jyotidaridya Scindia) met Rahul Gandhi and staked their claims even as senior leaders huddled at the residence of party chief Rahul Gandhi. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present during the deliberations.
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