Jaipur:

A day after his “reunion” with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot’s seating in the Rajasthan assembly provoked much talk and jeers from the opposition. Mr Pilot, who was Deputy Chief Minister when he last sat in the house, was seated on the opposite side of the house, right next to the opposition benches.

“When I came to the house and found that my seat had been changed, I was wondering why. When I sat there (pointing to the government benches), I was safe. Now I am next to the opposition. Then I realized I have been sent to the sarhad (border). That is because only the bravest and most powerful warrior is sent to the border,” quipped Mr Pilot, who dropped his month-long revolt against the Chief Minister earlier this week.

It had been all smiles and handshakes when Mr Gehlot and Mr Pilot met yesterday for the first time since his revolt. During the rebellion, the Chief Minister had unleashed a blistering, unfiltered attack on Mr Pilot, even calling him “nikamma, naakara (useless)”. He had also sacked him as his deputy.

They seemed to put it all behind them as they sat together at a meeting of Congress MLAs at the Chief Minister’s home to plan for today’s session and the trust vote. Mr Gehlot made it a point at the meeting to let the rebels know that he would have won even without their support.

It seems he was not quite done.

Mr Pilot’s seating was changed in the assembly to the second row on the extreme left, directly across the floor from his earlier position.

During the debate ahead of a trust vote called by the Congress government, the 42-year-old decided to respond to the relentless BJP digs in the middle of a speech by Rajendra Rathore.

“During this debate, many things will be said, much will be revealed. But whatever we had to say or do, me and my other friends, we have received treatment. We have consulted a doctor in Delhi and we are back now.”

He added that he was ready to face the “fire” at the frontline. “We are ready and armed for the onslaught with our armour, our shield and our weapons,” he said to loud desk-thumping.