Last Sunday, Pilot had alleged inaction in corruption cases during Raje’s tenure and sat on a symbolic five-hour protest Tuesday, demanding action in the same.

In a charged address at Khetri in Jhunjhunu, Pilot mentioned his dharna, saying: “It has been a week but there has been no action.” He said that when the party sought votes promising action against some people, those “will have to be fulfilled”.

“This struggle and resolution for clean politics was strong yesterday, today and will remain strong tomorrow. I want to ask you, the issues I raised, is this fight right or wrong,” he said.

In a dig at Gehlot, Pilot said: “In my words and speeches, I have never slipped. Because such is my sanskaar since childhood (that I speak with) decency, politeness … and have always respected elders.” Gehlot had once infamously called Pilot ‘nakara nikamma’ (worthless, useless).

“Main virodh bhi karta hun toh aesa virodh karta hun ke dhuuan nikalta hun (when I oppose it is such that the other person starts belching smoke) but I never lose control over my words. Because a word, once spoken, cannot be taken back,” he said.

In his address, Minister of State Rajendra Gudha “challenged” the party high command and dared it to take disciplinary action against Pilot.

Speaking to journalists in Khetri, Pilot reiterated that there has been no action in alleged corruption cases under the tenures of former CM Raje and that these investigations should be taken “to their logical end”.

Mentioning the Sanjivani scam, he said he welcomes the police action “but this is post 2019. We sought votes saying we will get the corruption under the Raje government investigated.”

On skipping a one-on-one meeting planned by the party leadership Monday, he said his own programme had been long in the works and that he had shared his point of view with the party leadership earlier as well.

Meanwhile, MLA and former health minister Raghu Sharma backed Pilot. “The issue of corruption is big. There should be some action on it.”

While Pilot gave the one-on-one a miss, among others, Harish Meena (Deoli-Uniara) and Prashant Bairwa (Niwai), also under Tonk district, attended the interaction; Pilot’s Assembly constituency is Tonk in Tonk district.

Congress moves to check anti-incumbency

Following internal feedback of anti-incumbency partly due to its MLAs, the Congress in Rajasthan began one-on-one meetings with party and supporting MLAs Monday.

On the first day, AICC Rajasthan-in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state president Govind Singh Dotasra took feedback from ten districts in Ajmer and Jodhpur divisions. The remaining interactions are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.

Party sources said while the CM “is leaving no stone unturned for development” and trying to keep it in focus, some MLAs have had a free run ever since they helped the CM save his government. Over the last several months, there have been complaints at the party and government level against MLAs, who have allegedly had a growing influence in the state of affairs in their constituencies from transfers and postings to tenders.

Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, too, has often accused the ruling party of installing “mini-CMs” in each constituency.

During the interactions, the MLAs were handed papers with 13 questions; while some MLAs filled them up on the spot, some said they would fill these up and return later.

However, an MLA said that the interaction was more of a formality than anything else. “There is certainly anti-incumbency against MLAs but the interaction was more of a formality by the party to show that it is doing something ahead of the elections,” an MLA who was part of the one to one meetings, told The Indian Express.

The MLAs were also asked to get more and more people to ‘Mehangai Rahat Camps’, beginning from April 24, so that their constituents can enrol themselves in various government schemes.

Questions for MLAs

1) What are the caste and religious equations in your area?

2) How do you consider your position in your area? How many marks will you give out of 10?

3) What are the five most effective schemes in your area?

4) Do you have any suggestions regarding new districts?

5) What have you done to make ERCP an issue? (to be asked from MLAs of 13 districts)

6) Is there a third force on your seat, what is the assessment about their position?

7) What plan do you have to stop anti-incumbency against yourself?

8) What is the situation of your social media account?

9) Do you handle your social media yourself or is there someone else? If someone else, give their details

10) What is your preparation to make Mehengai Rahat Camps successful?

11) What is the situation of anti-incumbency against the government among the public? Suggestions for alleviating it

12) According to you, what is in the public’s mind regarding elections?

13) Any specific suggestion that you may want to give