Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot met party president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Thursday amid speculations over organisational changes and ongoing deliberations of the party's revival. Pilot, according to reports, has been demanding for a larger role in Rajasthan Congress as the party is preparing for the Assembly elections due next year.
Pilot was dropped from the posts of the Rajasthan Congress president and the deputy chief minister after he rebelled against the party in 2020 following a power tussle with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Earlier this month, he had met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the latter's residence where party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present.
A PTI report quoted sources close to Pilot as saying that he is keen on remaining active and involved in strengthening the party in Rajasthan and has reiterated that he is willing to take up any role the party asks him to. However, according to an NDTV report on Thursday, Pilot has made it clear to the Gandhis that he wants to become the chief minister of Rajasthan.
Pilot was a frontrunner for the CM post after Congress won the Assembly elections in 2018. The party, however, chose Gehlot to the top post and offered the deputy chief minister's post to Pilot.
In 2020, Pilot declared an open revolt against the party by camping 18 MLAs loyal to him and bringing the state government to the verge of collapse. Though the high-command managed to persuade him to drop the rebellion, the power tussle between him and Gehlot continued to cripple the party in Rajasthan.