Ahead of Cong's Siddaramaiah-DKS riddle, Sachin Pilot's ‘corruption’ reminder

Hours before the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka meets to choose either Siddaramaiah or DK Shivakumar as the chief minister, Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot said Karnataka people trusted in Congress's manifesto and voted out the “40% government” and similarly he has been demanding action against the corruption of the previous government in poll-bound Rajasthan. But "for some reason", action has not been taken in the last four years, Sachin Pilot said amid his Jan Sangharsh Yatra against his own government in the state headed by Ashok Gehlot.

"It is no pain that we are walking in the Sun for a few days. But think of those young people whose exams got cancelled because of a question paper leak. And paper leak happens because of corruption. I have been saying this for a long time that our government could not effectively address the corruption issue," Sachin Pilot said.

The cold war between Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot has made Rajasthan Congress uncomfortable for a long and a similar situation is foreshadowed in Karnataka if Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar who are racing for the top post are not substantially rewarded.

"See, Karnataka people believed in our campaigning against the corrupt government in Karnataka. Now that we have been voted to power, we will have to address these issues. I have been demanding the same in Rajasthan for the last four years. For some reson, there has been no action against corruption. I don't know what reason," Sachin Pilot said.

"In 2018, I was the president of the state unit of the party. I was the face of the party. After the government is formed, the chief minister becomes the face. So Gehlot ji and I will have to fight together," Pilot said.

"My demand is very simple. I have not insulted anyone, never abused anyone. What I am saying is people are seeing what action we are taking because levelling allegations is easy," Pilot said.

Gehlot versus Pilot aside, a massive controversy erupted in Rajasthan after Ashok Gehlot last week claimed that former chief minister Vasundhara Raje helped same his government in 2020 when the BJP tried to bribe his MLAs and his then-deputy Sachin Pilot. Vasundhara Raje outrightly rejected the statement and Gehlot too claimed that his statement was misinterpreted as he said only what he had heard -- it was not his claim.

Sachin Pilot on Sunday said he is not claiming that there is some 'understanding' between them (Vasundhara Raje and Gehlot). "But the opposition can claim that if we don't take action against the corruption cases of the earlier regime," Pilot said,

Gehlot said he hardly spoke 15 time to Vasundhara Raje in the past 14 years. "I had said in Dholpur that Vasundhara ji and Kailash ji helped in saving my government. People misinterpreted it. She did not come to me and said that I am standing with you,” Gehlot said. “Will I ever be friends with the one who has taken the contract to stop my works?” Gehlot asked.