The Ashok Gehlot–Sachin Pilot feud, one of Indian politics' most enduring intra-party battles, flared again on 8 June when Gehlot revisited the explosive events of 25 September 2022 — reigniting a rivalry that has defined Rajasthan Congress for over half a decade.

The Latest Flashpoint

Gehlot, speaking publicly, insisted that the September 2022 crisis was not a rebellion against the Congress High Command but a move directed specifically against Pilot. He maintained that he had been a serious contender for the Congress president's post at the time and would not have jeopardised that prospect merely to hold on to the Chief Minister's chair.

'I was in the race for the Congress presidency, a significant position. I am not so ignorant that I would abandon such a responsibility merely to remain Chief Minister,' Gehlot said, alleging that the episode was a plot to prevent him from contesting for the top party post.

Leaders aligned with Pilot countered that Gehlot tends to speak up only when the High Command signals interest in elevating Pilot's role. They noted that Gehlot had long coveted the Congress presidential post — a prize that had eluded him — and cited the Pushkar episode as one such instance of this pattern.

How the Feud Began

The rivalry's most dramatic early chapter unfolded in July 2020, when Pilot — then serving as both Deputy Chief Minister and Rajasthan Congress president — broke away from the Gehlot government, camping with a group of dissident MLAs in Manesar, Haryana. The Congress High Command responded by stripping Pilot of both posts.

It was during this standoff that Gehlot deployed his sharpest language, branding Pilot 'nikamma' (incompetent) and 'nakara' (useless). Pilot responded indirectly on social media: 'Truth can be harassed, but it cannot be defeated.' Following High Command intervention, Pilot returned to the party fold in August 2020, though the trust deficit persisted. He denied any intent to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing unnamed leaders of spreading misinformation.

The September 2022 Crisis

Tensions peaked on 25 September 2022 when speculation mounted that Pilot was poised to replace Gehlot as Chief Minister. A scheduled meeting of Congress legislators collapsed after 82 MLAs loyal to Gehlot threatened to resign en masse. The episode publicly embarrassed the party leadership and effectively blocked any transfer of power.

By November 2022, Gehlot had escalated further, publicly calling Pilot a 'gaddar' (traitor) and declaring that a traitor could not become Chief Minister. Pilot called the remarks inappropriate, yet tempered his response by describing Gehlot as 'a father figure.' Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, then and now Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, stepped in to describe both men as assets to the party.

Public Smiles, Private Tensions

The most recent attempt at optics came on 22 April in New Delhi, when both leaders appeared together before cameras ahead of a Congress meeting. Gehlot quipped: 'Take the photo, otherwise you'll say we don't get along.' Pilot smiled. The photographs circulated widely.

The detente, however, proved short-lived. Within weeks, Gehlot was again invoking Manesar, 25 September, and Pilot's role in the crisis. Notably, in April, when BJP leader Radhamohan Das Agarwal suggested Pilot had 'one leg in Congress and the other somewhere else,' it was Gehlot who defended him, insisting both of Pilot's legs were firmly in the Congress — underscoring the contradictions that define this relationship.

What This Means for Rajasthan Congress

For six years, the Gehlot–Pilot dynamic has overshadowed elections, manifestos, and organisational overhauls as the dominant force shaping Rajasthan Congress. The party lost the state assembly election in 2023, and the feud is widely cited as a factor that blunted its campaign cohesion. With the High Command yet to resolve the succession question, the rivalry shows no sign of a durable resolution — and every public reconciliation has so far been followed by a fresh round of recrimination.