As Rajasthan rebellion fails, Sachin Pilot meets Gandhis and falls in line

NEW DELHI: New Delhi: The Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan on Monday appeared to have foiled the toppling bid by a combination of rebel Congress MLAs led by Sachin Pilot and the Opposition BJP.

Running out of options ahead of the state Assembly session on August 14, with some of his camp followers reaching out to CM Gehlot expressing their desire to return home, Pilot met central party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi

While the rebel camp claimed they were hopeful of a dignified accommodation, Congress sources asserted Gehlot will continue as chief minister with no hindrance from within.

Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra ruled out any possibility of a leadership change in the state , telling reporters that Gehlot will "remain chief minister for five years.”

With Pilot seemingly falling in line, the Gehlot regime is confident of facing the upcoming Assembly session with enough numbers to show its majority.

Pilot and 18 other MLAs rebelled against the Gehlot-led government in mid July and hunkered down in a resort in BJP-ruled Haryana, leading to Pilot's sacking as deputy chief minister and state party chief.

Despite his best efforts he could not get the support of 30 plus party MLAs needed to topple the government , and with Gehlot likely to go for a trust vote in the session starting August 14 he and his fellow rebels stood the risk of being disqualified as MLAs.