Will give Sachin Pilot a hug if he returns: Ashok Gehlot

New Delhi : Rajasthan Chief Minister has revealed that he had sensed Sachin Pilot plotting a strategy to topple his government from the first day of his inception in the office and they were not in talking terms for more than one and a half years.

“A minister does not talk to his CM, nor seeks his advice and there is no dialogue. In a democracy, even arch rivals talk. The beauty of democracy is dialogue. The news generated over the last one-and-a-half years is sufficient for a book,” said Gehlot, while speaking to a news channel on the latest showdown with Pilot.

Mr. Gehlot claimed that Sachin Pilot has played a victim card and unnecessarily made the state SOG notice a big issue. The notices were sent to 12 MLAs.

“Our party complained to the SOG that BJP was hatching a conspiracy to topple the government. We had not taken his name, but he was clarifying. Now, it is evident why he clarified,” he said.

“During the Rajya Sabha elections, I had to take the MLAs to a hotel and kept them there for 10 days. I felt bad about it. It was then alleged that I had done it to show the deputy CM in poor light,” he said.

Talking more about why Sachin Pilot was not made CM of Rajasthan, Mr Gehlot said this decision stays with the high command. “Most MLAs were in my favour and the situation in Rajasthan was different in comparison to other states. In Rajasthan, the people wanted me as CM,” said Gehlot.

Despite differences in past, "if he returns, I will give him a hug," Mr Gehlot added.