Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday cited Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raids on corrupt officers to dismiss his former deputy Sachin Pilot's charge of inaction in cases of corruption during the previous BJP dispensation.

He side-stepped questions at a press conference on Pilot's protest, saying that his government's focus was on easing inflation and nothing else is going to distract him from it.

"Do you know the number of raids carried out by the Anti-Corruption Bureau across the country? How many people, including four-five IAS, IPS (officers), have been caught here? Has this happened anywhere in India?" Gehlot said responding to a question on Pilot's charge.

In reply to another question on Pilot's protest, Gehlot said, "Our aim is to ease inflation. This is our only focus and we are not going to deviate from it." Congress leader Pilot on Tuesday sat on a fast in Jaipur, piling pressure on his own party by targeting the Ashok Gehlot government for "inaction" in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP ran the state.

With his fast, Pilot defied the Congress central leadership's warning that the move – which came just months before the assembly polls – was “anti-party”.

Gehlot and Pilot have been in a power tussle in the state since the Congress formed the government in December 2018.

Reacting to a question that while he is focusing on easing inflation, the BJP is raising communal issues, Gehlot said, "My aim is Mission 2030 and easing inflation is the first step towards it. Who is doing what, we are not bothered about it." Under the mission, the government aims to make Rajasthan the top state by 2030.

He said that Rajasthan is in a leadership position in the country with regard to public welfare initiatives and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has shared it on social media recently.

"We are fortunate that our high command has commented about it. This is a matter of pride. Our aim is to serve the people," Gehlot said.

Responding to a question that whether the acceptability of Congress Rahul Gandhi has increased among opposition parties, Gehlot said that his acceptability was already high.

He said that the conspiracy hatched by the BJP through social media campaign against Rahul Gandhi failed after the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"Since he was successful in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the BJP got nervous. The prime minister himself got nervous and the way he created the atmosphere...how to throw this man (Rahul) out of Parliament. Rahul Gandhi has a different personality, he is devoted to the country and the people of the country," he said.

Briefing about his government's initiatives, Gehlot said, “We have decided to implement OPS (old pension scheme). Many economists are writing articles against the government. Social security should be considered. There is no enmity with BJP, it is an ideological battle." He said that a roadmap has been prepared for inflation relief camps under the Mission 2030. In the first phase, 700 camps will be set up, he said, adding 2,700 such camps will be set up in the state in two months.

Congress leader Pilot on Tuesday sat on a fast in Jaipur, piling pressure on his own party by targeting the Ashok Gehlot government for "inaction" in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP ran the state.

Many perceived 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.

However, Pilot appeared extremely cautious when he spoke after the completion of the fast, avoiding any criticism of the Congress central leadership as well as Gehlot. He didn’t even make vague references to Gehlot’s perceived failures, only insisting that corruption cases against BJP leader Vasundhara Raja Scindia were not pursued.

The young Congress leader said: “I am not asking for vendetta politics. There was credible evidence of corruption… liquor scam, land, mining scams, links with fugitive Lalit Modi.”

“Even in Karnataka, the people are going to evict the 40 per cent commission government. I have been talking about action in cases against the Vasundhara government. We exposed Vasundhara’s corruption but didn’t take action. We have to refurbish our credentials before going to the people again. I hope action will be taken,” Pilot added.