Rajasthan Congress legislators revolted on Sunday night against the high command’s proposal to make Sachin Pilot the next chief minister after Ashok Gehlot steps down to contest for the party president’s post.

The crisis erupted with MLAs loyal to Gehlot declaring that Pilot, who had triggered a crisis for the government in connivance with the BJP in 2020, was not acceptable to them.

Senior leader and minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said: “Over 102 MLAs stayed in a hotel to ward off the threat to the Gehlot government. They want the high command to respect their views in the selection of the next chief minister.”

Khachariyawas, who was with Gehlot during the day, said: “How can the leadership ignore the views of 102 MLAs, in addition to some Independents as well, and make someone with 15 MLAs the chief minister? The MLAs are very angry. It is their collective decision to resign in protest.”

The MLAs arrived at the residence of Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi around 9.30pm in a bus to submit their resignations. This was viewed as pressure tactics as the Speaker will never accept the resignations. Accepting the resignations will mean the fall of the government.

Although Gehlot tried to create an impression of having nothing to do with these developments — he cannot afford to be seen as instigating a rebellion when he is tipped to be the Congress president — it is difficult to believe his loyalists staged this drama against his wishes. Senior state leaders arrived at his residence late at night straight after meeting Joshi.

The Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting had been scheduled for 7.30pm and the central observers — Mallikarjun Kharge and the general secretary in charge of Rajasthan, Ajay Maken — were waiting for the event. Gehlot had met them in the afternoon and gone home.

Soon, around 50 MLAs met at senior leader Shanti Dharwal’s residence and decided not to attend the CLP meeting. The revolt strategy was finalised there.

Dhariwal is a Gehlot confidant and is strongly opposed to Pilot’s leadership.

The majority of the MLAs were never prepared to support Pilot despite the nudge from the high command.

Khachariyawas said on Sunday night: “We will not allow the BJP conspiracy to succeed.”

While it is far-fetched to accuse Pilot of playing the BJP’s game, it is clear he had failed to win over the MLAs and relied on the high command to crown him.

While the MLAs say that anyone other than Pilot is acceptable, the majority opinion is that someone like Joshi should be given the reins. They argue that winning elections would become difficult under Pilot, who has damaged his credentials with his ugly rebellion.

The BJP tried to fish in the troubled waters.

Senior leader Gulab Singh Kataria said the Congress had won the last election because of Pilot and that the BJP would intervene if the crisis persisted.