Not seeking posts but self-respect: Sachin Pilot loyalist

“Reports of a bargain going on for number of positions in the cabinet, boards and corporation are absolutely false. Mr Pilot and all of us have been striving to seek honour and self-respect for the grassroots Congress workers in Rajasthan,” Shekhawat said in a statement on Wednesday.

Former Speaker of Rajasthan Assembly and Congress MLA from Srimadhopur, Deependra Singh Shekhawat, who is among the 18 legislators loyal to former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, said on Wednesday that Pilot and his supporters are not bargaining for any posts but seeking ‘honour and self-respect’ for the grassroots Congress workers in the state.

“Reports of a bargain going on for number of positions in the cabinet, boards and corporation are absolutely false. Mr Pilot and all of us have been striving to seek honour and self-respect for the grassroots Congress workers in Rajasthan,” Shekhawat said in a statement on Wednesday.

He added that those who helped the Congress come into power in the state need to be given adequate recognition.

“Those individuals who valiantly took on the wrath of BJP governments of Vasundhara Raje and Modi from 2014 onwards, gave their sweat and blood to revive the Congress after it suffered its worst-ever defeat in 2013 — getting only 21 seats out of 200 — need to get adequate recognition and respect now that we are the party in power,” he said.

Shekhawat’s statement comes a day after six former BSP MLAs, accused 19 MLAs who had camped at Delhi and Haryana last year during the political crisis, of pressurising the Congress high command.

Their targeting of the Pilot camp had led to two loyalist MLAs of Pilot launching a counter-attack on the former BSP MLAs, saying how can people who switch parties question those whose families have been in the Congress for generations.

The former Speaker said that the political appointments should not be given to ‘cherry-picked bureaucrats.’

“Political appointments should be given to those who have carried the burden of making the Congress win at the polling booths and not cherry-picked retired bureaucrats and officers whose loyalties are temporary, at best,” said Shekhawat.

“We have full faith in the commitment made by the high command to address all such issues which we have raised,” he added.

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