Joshi Doesn’t Have Courage to Speak to Me: Pilot on Exit Claims

BJP’s Rita Bahuguna Joshi had claimed that Pilot will soon switch political camps.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot .

(Photo: PTI/File)

Following Jitin Prasada’s high-profile and controversial exit from the Congress, party leader Sachin Pilot on Friday, 11 June, responded to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who claimed that he will soon switch political camps.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Pilot said, “Rita Bahuguna Joshi has said she spoke to Sachin. She might have spoken to Sachin Tendulkar. She doesn't have the courage to speak to me.”

On Thursday, Bahuguna had told news channel Aaj Tak that Pilot would join the BJP as he is being ‘mistreated’ in Congress.

After Jyotiraditya Scindia, 47-year-old Prasada will be the second major Congress leader and erstwhile close aide of Rahul Gandhi to defect to the BJP. Ahead of the 2022 UP elections, the exits have given rise to speculation of further defections.

The conjecture around Sachin Pilot comes in view of the issues raised by him against Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot last year. Pilot was subsequently dismissed as the state’s Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress President. The party’s high command had to step in to mitigate the crisis which ensued.