The fate of Sachin Pilot and 18 rebel Congress MLAs now depends upon the outcome of the legal battle. CM Ashok Gehlot is trying to hold the floor test sooner as he currently has the numbers required to pass it. 

However, the rebel Congress MLAs and BJP is of the view that the speaker should wait till the Rajasthan High Court gives a verdict. Meanwhile, let us get some facts about the 18 Congress rebels who are the point of discussion. 

Congress is terming the rebels as opportunists, but most of them have been loyal to Sachin Pilot since 2018 and before. They have voiced their support for their leader on many occasions. While some of them had a more ‘personal’ grudge against Ashok Gehlot. 

The Ones Who Are Suspended

Two rebel MLAs, Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Pratap Singh are suspended from the Congress party. The ground of suspension was the alleged audiotape which supposedly reveals that they were negotiating with the BJP. 

Bhanwar Lal Sharma was critical of the Congress high command since 2014, He had openly criticized Soniya Gandhi for the defeat. In spite of this, he got to contest the 2018 assembly election on the influence of Sachin Pilot.

Both Sharma and Singh had won in the 2013 assembly election when Congress had suffered a massive defeat in Rajasthan. This gives an idea of their stronghold in their constituencies. 

Vishvendra Pratap Singh had tweeted some photos of Sachin Pilot during the protests. Trying to show the hardships his leader had suffered in the past. Moreover, he has always sided with Sachin Pilot while being in Congress. 

Jat-Gujjar- Meena Communities

The 18 rebel Congress MLAs mostly comprise of Jat, Gujjar, and Meena communities. Sachin Pilot is an important face of the Gujjar community. Along with him, Gajraj Khatana and Indraj Gurjar are from the same community. 

Gajraj Khatana had spoken against Ashok Gehlot in the 2019 Lok Sabha Election when Gehlot had blamed Sachin Pilot for his son’s defeat. Gujjars are dominant in the Sawai Madhopur, Dausa, Bharatpur, and Karauli districts of Rajasthan. 

Jats are major voters in the Nagaur, Barmer, and Jhunjhunu districts of Rajasthan. Hemaram Choudhary, Mukesh Bhakar, Brijendra Singh Ola, Ramniwas Gawriya, and Vishvendra Singh are 5 Jat MLAs in the Sachin Pilot’s camp.

The Jat community wanted their leader Mahipal Maderna to be the CM in 1998. However, Ashok Gehlot got the berth. Hence their resentment comes as an old grudge of 1998. 

Also, Murari Lal Meena, Harish Meena, P.R. Meena, and Ramesh Meena are the 4 MLAs belonging to the Meena community of Rajasthan. 

Few Had Personal Ambitions

Deependra Singh Shekhawat was upset with Ashok Gehlot since he did not get any portfolio in the Rajasthan cabinet. He had boycotted the oath-taking ceremony in 2018

Whereas Ved Prakash Solanki had opposed the candidature of Neeraj Dangi as Rajya Sabha MP. 

Tags: Ashok Gehlot, INC, Sachin Pilot