"He is like my own child": Gehlot on Pilot's "loves me like son" remark

Ashok Gehlot agreed with Sachin Pilot's 'loves me like his son' comment, calling him his child. Despite this, Gehlot revisited the 2020 Manesar episode and claimed he helped Pilot become a minister but was never thanked for it.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday agreed with Sachin Pilot's remarks about the relationship between them, even though he raised the 'Manesar episode' a few days ago. On Sachin Pilot's statement, "Ashok Gehlot loves me like his son", Gehlot said, "Yes, he said it right. What is wrong with this? I have always said this. He is like my own child."In 2020, then Rajasthan's Deputy CM Sachil Pilot camped in Manesar to challenge Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's leadership. It required an intense intervention by the party high command, leading to Pilot being stripped of his posts.

'Wanted to Present the Facts'

Gehlot clarified that he only mentioned the 2020 episode because he wanted to present the facts. "Whatever I said, I said from the heart. I did not accuse anyone. I wanted to present those events before the country once because an atmosphere had been created in the country that Ashok Gehlot did not accept the post of Congress President to remain as Chief Minister. I had presented the facts. If any of those facts are wrong, they can talk to me, I will give them the answer," he said.

Gehlot on Sunday opened up about the persistent friction within the state's Congress unit, the infamous "Manesar episode," and his strained relationship with senior leader Sachin Pilot.

Claims of Unacknowledged Support

Among the most striking revelations in Gehlot's remarks was his claim that he played a pivotal role in Sachin Pilot's ascent to the Union Cabinet. Expressing deep personal hurt on X, Gehlot noted that despite his active efforts to secure a ministerial berth for Pilot, the latter never publicly acknowledged the support. "When he called me, requesting help to become a minister, I facilitated it and ensured he got the position. However, he never once uttered those words from his own lips. That hurts," Gehlot stated, emphasising that a simple acknowledgement of the assistance would have bridged the trust gap between them. "If he had just told his friends that Ashok Gehlot helped me, my heart would have been full."

Defending the 100-MLA Gathering

Addressing the recurring political attacks regarding the Manesar rebellion, Gehlot remained firm that the issue was an internal family matter that should have been put to rest long ago. He dismissed the claim that the events of September 25, 2024, represented a revolt against the party High Command. "If I had revolted against the High Command, would they have kept me as Chief Minister?" Gehlot asked, framing the 100-MLA gathering as a show of loyalty to the leadership during a time of crisis. He argued that the rank and file simply did not want a change in leadership to someone associated with the rebellion, asserting that the party's loyalty to the Gandhis remains as strong as it was during Indira Gandhi's era.

'Forget Manesar. Move on'

Gehlot also launched a stinging critique of the media, both mainstream and digital, accusing them of fueling the fire by creating "false narratives." He lamented the speculative reporting that frequently portrays Pilot as a candidate for Prime Minister, party president, or other high-ranking posts, suggesting that such coverage only harms Pilot's political standing. "There is no substitute for truth. I have been saying for six months, forget Manesar. Move on. Why is this issue still alive? Perhaps because of the people advising him," Gehlot mused.

Despite the history of bitterness, Gehlot insisted that he holds no personal animosity toward Pilot, whom he has known since childhood. "We still meet, we laugh, we joke. We have no personal enmity; I have treated him like a son." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)