Jaipur: Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot on Saturday met former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior party leader Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur. This is being seen as a significant thaw in their strained political relationship.
The meeting came ahead of a memorial event for Pilot’s father and former Union Minister Rajesh Pilot. According to reports, Pilot personally invited Gehlot to the ceremony scheduled for June 11 in Dausa, which is Rajesh Pilot’s former parliamentary constituency.
This is the first such public interaction between the two leaders in years. For years, there has been a bitter feud over the Rajasthan Congress leadership. This dispute culminated in a political crisis in 2020.
AICC महासचिव श्री @SachinPilot ने आवास पर पूर्व केन्द्रीय मंत्री स्व. श्री राजेश पायलट की 25वीं पुण्यतिथि पर आयोजित कार्यक्रम के लिए आमंत्रित किया।
मैं और राजेश पायलट जी 1980 में पहली बार एक साथ ही लोकसभा पहुंचे एवं लगभग 18 साल तक साथ में सांसद रहे। उनके आकस्मिक निधन का दुख हमें… pic.twitter.com/GPLuXMtLKw
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) June 7, 2025
Gehlot later shared a video of the meeting on social media platform X. He recalled his long-standing association with Rajesh Pilot. “AICC general secretary Sachin Pilot invited me to the program organised on the 25th death anniversary of former Union minister Rajesh Pilot at his residence,” he posted.
“Rajesh Pilot and I entered the Lok Sabha together in 1980 and served as MPs for nearly 18 years. His untimely death remains a personal loss and a setback for the party,” he added.
Sachin Pilot also posted a photo of their meeting. “Met former chief minister Ashok Gehlot today. Requested him to attend the tribute ceremony in Dausa on June 11 to mark my father Rajesh Pilot’s 25th death anniversary,” he wrote on X.
But there has been no formal comment from either side on reconciliation. Saturday’s meeting has triggered speculation within Congress circles about the possibility of a patch-up. Moreover, this comes ahead of key organisational decisions in Rajasthan.
The dispute
The discord between the two Congressmen traces back to the Congress’s victory in the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly elections. Pilot, who was then the Congress president, was widely credited for reviving the party’s fortunes in the state.
However, the top post of Chief Minister was awarded to Ashok Gehlot for a third term. Pilot had to settle for the deputy Chief Minister position. This brewed resentment.
The feud exploded in July 2020. At that time, Pilot — along with 18 loyalist MLAs — rebelled against Gehlot, accusing him of sidelining young leaders. He also blamed him of undermining his authority as Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief.
Gehlot accused Pilot of plotting with the BJP to bring down the Congress government. Pilot was soon removed as Deputy Chief Minister and PCC president.
