Despite a warning issued to him by the Congress, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot sat on a daylong fast at the Shaheed Smarak here on Tuesday, demanding action in cases of alleged corruption related to the previous BJP government in the state led by Vasundhara Raje.

Pilot reached the Shaheed Smarak, where his supporters were waiting for him. The former Union minister offered floral tributes to social reformer Jyotirao Phule on the occasion of his birth anniversary and sat on the fast as reported by PTI.

Before reaching the Shaheed Smarak, the Congress leader went to 22 godown circle from his residence and offered tributes to Phule at his statue.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of state Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had released a statement condemning Pilot’s actions.

“Shri. Sachin Pilot's day-long fast tomorrow is against the party interests and is anti-party activity. If there is any issue with his own government, it can be discussed in the party forums instead of in the media and public. I have been an AICC in-charge for the last 5 months and Pilot+ji has never discussed this issue with me. I am in touch with him and I still appeal for calm dialogue since he is an indisputable asset to the Congress party,” the statement read.

Although the protest at Shaheed Smarak is aimed at the previous ruling BJP dispensation and its alleged crimes, many perceive Sachin Pilot’s call for action as a move to compel the Congress leadership to settle the hotly contested issue of who will be the next Chief Minister face in Rajasthan ahead of the assembly elections.

Pilot on Sunday alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led government failed to investigate cases of alleged corruption during the BJP rule in Rajasthan and announced a day-long fast to press for action.

Without referring to Pilot's demand, the Congress had earlier issued a statement in Delhi that its government with Ashok Gehlot as chief minister has implemented schemes that have benefited people and the party will seek a renewed mandate later this year "on the strength of these landmark achievements and the collective efforts of our organisation".

At a press conference at his residence in Jaipuron, Pilot had said, "No action was taken (by the Gehlot government) on the corruption by the previous Vasundhara Raje government. While in the Opposition, we promised an inquiry into the mines scam of Rs 45,000 crore." He said he wrote to Gehlot last year on March 28 and November 2 on the issue but did not get any answer to his letters.

The great Rajasthan divide

The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot first began during the formation of the government in December 2018 over the chief minister's post.

The Congress high command appointed Gehlot to the top post for a third time and Pilot was made his deputy.

In July 2020, Pilot and a section of Congress MLAs rebelled openly against Gehlot, demanding a change of leadership in the state. It led to a month-long political crisis that ended after the party high command's assurance to look into the issues raised by Pilot.

Following the revolt by Pilot and 18 other MLAs, Gehlot used terms such as "gaddar" (traitor), "nakara" (failure) and "nikamma" (worthless) for his former deputy and accused him of being involved with BJP leaders in a conspiracy to topple the Congress government in the state.

Pilot has been demanding that the party leadership take action on the issues raised by him.

In September last year, a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting was convened at the chief minister's residence to pass a one-line resolution authorising the party high command to take a decision on a change in the state leadership as Gehlot was in the race for the party president's post.

However, the meeting could not take place because a parallel meeting was convened at the residence of the state parliamentary affairs minister, where many of the Congress MLAs offered their resignation letters addressed to the Assembly speaker against any move of the party high command to make Pilot the new chief minister.

Right before former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Rajasthan from Madhya Pradesh in November last year, Gehlot again targeted Pilot, calling him a "gaddar" in an interview with a television news channel.

Pilot responded to it, saying it does not befit his upbringing to use such language.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.