'When Were We Ever Far Apart': Gehlot Shares Stage With Pilot, Hints At End To Political Feud

Last Updated:June 11, 2025, 18:05 IST

Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot hinted at reconciliation with ex-deputy Sachin Pilot, saying "love and affection" remain. They shared the stage at Rajesh Pilot's event.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot with former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot during a meeting. (Image: @SachinPilot/PTI)

Signalling a possible end to a long-running political feud, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has said “love and affection" will remain between him and his ex-deputy Sachin Pilot. The two Congress leaders shared the stage at a memorial event marking the 25th death anniversary of former Union minister Rajesh Pilot.

“When were we ever far apart?" Gehlot asked on Wednesday at the event in Rajasthan’s Dausa. His remark hinted at a possible thaw between the two senior Congress leaders after years of political tussle.

A large number of party workers and local people were present at the programme held on the death anniversary of Rajesh Pilot. At the crowded venue, reporters asked Gehlot what was the message behind the two leaders coming close.

“Ham dur kab the? Ham dur the hi nahi. Prem mohabbat bani rahti hai aur bani rahegi. (When were we ever far apart? We were never distant. Love and affection remain and will continue to remain)," he said.

Sachin Pilot recently visited Gehlot at his residence to invite him for this programme.

WHAT IS THEIR HISTORY?

The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot began after the Congress came to power in Rajasthan in December 2018; a tug of war started for the post of chief minister.

Gehlot being a two-time CM won the race and was at the helm for a third time while Pilot, who was the state Congress chief at that time, was appointed his deputy. But, their palpable discord came out in 2020 when Pilot along with 18 Congress MLAs revolted against Gehlot. This led to a month-long political crisis that ended only after the party high command said it will look into the issues raised by Pilot.

Following this, Gehlot used terms such as gaddar (traitor), nakara (incapable) and nikamma (worthless) for Pilot and accused him of being involved with BJP leaders in a conspiracy to topple the Congress government in the state. During this time, Pilot also lost his posts of deputy CM and PCC president.

In September 2022, a Congress Legislature Party meeting was convened at the CM’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.

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

Dausa, India, India

News politics 'When Were We Ever Far Apart': Gehlot Shares Stage With Pilot, Hints At End To Political Feud