Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said that Local self-governance can be implemented in the true spirit only if we ensure peoples participation in such elections. (Photo: PTI)

The political tension within the Congress in Rajasthan seems to have diffused after state Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Saturday claimed that he is happy as the Ashok Gehlot government has changed its decision to allow unelected people to contest for the Mayor's post.

While speaking to India Today TV, Sachin Pilot said, "I am happy that the government has now clarified that unelected individuals would not run for the post of Mayor and chairman. No other state in the country has such a provision."

"It is my firm conviction that only elected councilors/ corporators should occupy the position of the Mayor and chairperson, so that they are accountable to the people who elect them," Sachin Pilot said.

"As there is no anti-defection law for the local bodies, back door entry or parachuted unelected mayors and chairperson would invite allegations of horse trading and blatant use of money power into the system," Sachin Pilot said.

Sachin Pilot said, "Local self-governance can be implemented in the true spirit only if we ensure peoples participation in such elections."

"I am happy that the issue we took up has now been accepted and the government has amended its earlier decision," Sachin Pilot said.

In his previous interview to India Today TV, Sachin Pilot had expressed displeasure against the Gehlot government's decision to allow unelected people to run for the Mayor's post saying that it was not discussed in the Cabinet.

"All of a sudden, a new revision was introduced in the rules to allow someone who is not elected member of the municipality or a councillor to run for the post of Mayor. In such a case, the person does not have to get elected. He can just manage the corporators and because there is no anti-defection law in these municipalities, you can vote for any person you want. However, this usually leads to a lot of allegations of horse-trading," Sachin Pilot said.

Sachin Pilot further said, "Nowhere in the country is there a provision that someone who is not a member of the House can become the leader of the House and there is no clarity within how many months that person has to get elected."

The Rajasthan State Election Commission on Saturday announced that the elections for the various local bodies will be held on November 16. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on November 19.

The elections will be held for 49 local bodies, including 28 Nagar Palikas, 18 Nagar Parishads and three Nagar Nigams which has more than 3.2 million potential voters.