“There is no place for ability in the Congress party”: Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sachin Pilot sacking

BJP’s Jyotiraditya Scindia has criticised the Congress party over removal of Sachin Pilot as Rajasthan’s Deputy Chief Minister and state party chief.

“In present circumstances, there is no place for ability in the Congress party. This can be seen in every state,” said Jyotiraditya Scindia, according to news agency ANI.

In present circumstances, there is no place for ability in the Congress party. This can be seen in every state: Jyotiraditya Scindia, BJP on political crisis in #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/VNIHo3GIvg

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2020

Scindia, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in March this year, had earlier also commented on Pilot being ‘sidelined and persecuted’ by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

He had further said that it shows that “talent and capability find little credence” in the Congress party.

“Sad to see my erstwhile colleague, @SachinPilot too, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan CM,

@ashokgehlot51. Shows that talent and capability find little credence in the @INCIndia,” Jyotiraditya Scindia’s tweet read.

Sad to see my erstwhile colleague, @SachinPilot too, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan CM, @ashokgehlot51 . Shows that talent and capability find little credence in the @INCIndia .

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 12, 2020

The political crisis in Rajasthan began on Friday when the police sent a notice to Sachin Pilot, asking him to record his statement over the alleged bid to bring down the government.

Sachin Pilot has been upset since he was denied the Rajasthan chief minister’s post after the December 2018 assembly elections. Rebelling against Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot went incommunicado, while his supporters claimed to have the backing of 30 Congress MLAs and some independents.

Tuesday’s meeting of the Congress was said to be a second chance for Sachin Pilot. Though the Congress made appeals to Sachin Pilot to attend the second meeting of Congress Legislature Party, he turned down all appeals.

In the 200-member assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs and the BJP 72. In the past, the ruling party has claimed the support of 13 independents, two MLAs each from the CPM and the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP), and one from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

Speaking on the developments, Ashok Gehlot had alleged that the opposition BJP was trying to lure Congress MLAs. The BJP, however, dismissed the allegation, saying the developments only reflected a power struggle within the ruling party.