Sole aim at present to defeat BJP in Rajasthan:Sachin Pilot
Jaipur, Aug 2 : Amid claims and counterclaims within the party to Rajasthan Chief Minister's post, Congress state unit President Sachin Pilot on Thursday said that his sole aim at present is to defeat the BJP and make his party form the state government.
"As Pandava prince Arjun was totally focused on his target, a fish's eye, I too am focusing on one thing: To form a Congress government in Rajasthan," said the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief, who has returned from a four-day Australia trip.
He said that the opposition party will work unitedly to ensure the ouster of the Vasundhara Raje-led Bharatiya Janata Party government.
As for the party claimants to the CM's post, he said that the Congress had earlier too given him big responsibilities at quite a young age. "I was made an MP when I was just 25; I was made the Union Minister at 31; and now I am leading the Congress state unit at 35."
He also took a dig at Raje, asking her to remain well prepared during her 'Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra' since the public would question her on the unfulfilled promises made during the time she was in the opposition.
There have been claims and counterclaims by various Congress leaders in Rajasthan on the party's chief ministerial candidate. Many Congress leaders have demanded that Ashok Gehlot be named the party's chief ministerial face in the Assembly elections to be held this year.
In the past, Gehlot had said in Jodhpur: "When the (chief ministerial) face is in front of you for 10 years, where is the need to talk about a new face?"
Congress state party affairs incharge Avinash Pandey had announced later that the Assembly elections will be contested under the leadership of Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
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Actor Rahul's death: Film body demands fair probe, files police complaint
Kolkata (PTI): Amidst the controversy over the accidental death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee during an outdoor shoot near Digha in Purba Medinipur district, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum on Saturday lodged a police complaint against the producers in connection with the incident.
Senior forum members, including actors Prosenjit Chatterjee and Santilal Mukherjee, told a press meet outside Regent Park police station that the complaint called for a fair and transparent probe into the tragedy.
"We want the real truth and exact circumstances behind the incident to come to light," a forum member said. Actor Rituparna Sengupta was also present at the briefing.
Banerjee's wife, Priyanka Sarkar, was also present but did not speak to the media.
"On March 29, during the shooting of television serial 'Bholey Baba Par Karega' at Talsari near Digha, our colleague and forum member, actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, tragically passed away due to an accidental drowning," the forum said in a statement on Friday night.
"In this regard, the forum, on behalf of its members, sought legal advice to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding the incident. Accordingly, a formal letter was sent to the production house.... on April 1 seeking clarification," the statement said.
"However, the response received on April 2 was found to be unsatisfactory and inadequate. Since then, various opinions and concerns have also been expressed on social media regarding the incident," the forum said.
Mukherjee said in light of this, and after further legal consultation, the forum has decided to initiate legal proceedings.
Chatterjee said the forum would consult lawyers to decide the next course of action.
Meanwhile, several members of the Bengali film industry held a procession from Technicians' Studio to Radha Studio, a distance of around 1 km, carrying placards reading 'Justice for Rahul'.
The rally was led by several known faces of the industry, including actor-director Aparna Sen, Anjan Dutt, director Srijit Mukherjee, Kaushik Ganguly, actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee, actor Rudranil Ghosh, actor Riddhi Sen, actor-theatre personality Kaushik Sen, among others.
The rally was supported by technician federation director Swarup Biswas.
Earlier, the makers of 'Bholey Baba Par Karega' had expressed grief over Banerjee’s death and assured that the circumstances surrounding the incident would be examined transparently.
"The entire cast and crew are in profound mourning. We request a few days to gather accounts of those present so that a comprehensive and accurate report can be presented," the producers had said, adding that a representative nominated by the actor’s family or the forum could observe the process.
Police officials said according to eyewitness accounts, Banerjee and a co-actor were filming a dance sequence in knee-deep water when they slipped into an underwater ditch. Both were taken to a hospital in Digha, but Banerjee could not be saved.
Banerjee rose to fame with the 2008 Bengali film 'Chirodini Tumi Je Amar', directed by Raj Chakraborty, which starred him opposite Priyanka Sarkar and became a major hit.
Rahul, who had started his career in early 2000, acted in several critically acclaimed Bengali films and TV soaps after the blockbuster success of Chirodini in 2008 and also started hosting a podcast which gained popularity.
