July 14, 2020: The Congress in Rajasthan has decided to sack rebel leader Sachin Pilot as Deputy Chief Minister after he skipped a second meeting of MLAs on Tuesday. Two ministers who have joined him in his revolt will also be dropped.

Sachin Pilot, whose demands reportedly include Chief Ministership, was asked to attend the meeting as surety for his talks with the leadership. The Congress had warned of action against all those who skipped the meeting.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s numbers have been eroded by his deputy's revolt. The Chief Minister had invited all 107 Congress MLAs and 15 others - independents and allies to the meeting. Party leaders said 106 of these 122 MLAs attended. However, the Chief Minister's numbers may be barely above the majority mark of 101 in the 200-member assembly.

In the 200-member assembly, the Congress had 107 MLAs and the support of 13 independents and five from smaller parties. That number has now come down to 90 Congress MLAs, seven independent members and five from smaller parties - 101.

Mr Gehlot sent 100-odd MLAs in buses to a resort straight from his home yesterday, betraying his worry that the threat to his government from Mr Pilot may not be over.

After Mr Pilot skipped the first meeting of legislators on Monday morning, a resolution by MLAs called for "strict disciplinary action" against anyone who did anything to weaken the government or the party.

The feud between the Congress's top two in Rajasthan peaked when Mr Pilot was asked to answer questions in an investigation into an alleged attempt to destabilise the state government ahead of last month's Rajya Sabha elections. Chief Minister Gehlot said he too had received it, but Mr Pilot's aides pointed out that as state home minister in charge of the Special Operations Group, Mr Gehlot had practically given himself the summons.

Sachin Pilot after he was sacked as Rajasthan Deputy CM said, “Truth can be harassed, but not defeated”.