Jaipur, June 8 -- Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot visited the former chief minister Ashok Gehlot at his Jaipur residence in an informal meeting on Saturday, the first time since a political feud broke out between them in 2020, sparking a buzz in the state's political ambit over the reconciliation of the two bete noires in a showcase of the party's unity. After the meeting, Gehlot uploaded a photo on his X account and wrote, "AICC General Secretary Sachin Pilot invited me to an event organized at his residence on the 25th death anniversary of former Union Minister Late Shri Rajesh Pilot. I and Rajesh Pilot stepped in the Lok Sabha together for the first time in 1980 and have remained MPs together for almost 18 years. I am still disheartened by his sudden demise. His departure was a big blow to the party as well." Meanwhile, Pilot also uploaded a photo of his meeting with Gehlot on Saturday and wrote, "Today I met former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. I invited him to attend the tribute ceremony that is being organised in Dausa on June 11 on the 25th death anniversary of my father Late Rajesh Pilot." A senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity, said, "The two had an almost two-hour meeting on Saturday. This meeting may dilute the narratives about the Congress's infighting in the last few years." A senior Congress legislator viewed the meeting as a strong message amid a time when the BJP has constantly been flagging the rift inside the Congress. "It might be the first time they met in one of their residences in an informal set up. But, they have been attending many public events together, particularly in the last few months. The top leadership also wanted the two leaders to show up together publicly as their rift caused the party's image badly in the last five years." Gehlot and Pilot have been at loggerheads since 2020 when a political crisis landed in the state as the then deputy CM and the then Congress state president Sachin Pilot floated a rebellion against the then CM Gehlot, claiming that he has strength of 18 MLAs. Following the development, the Congress national leadership sacked Pilot from his cabinet post and also the president designation in the party. However, the rift between two leaders has widened over the years despite several efforts by the top leadership to mend the gap. Even after all these years, Gehlot, during an event at the party's regional headquarters in Jaipur on the occasion of former PM Rajeev Gandhi's death anniversary on May 25, mentioned the crisis. Without naming anyone, he said, "It is a big thing to complete three terms as a Chief Minister. It was a miracle that my government survived in the last term. We all know how people tried to topple the government. It was the blessings of the high command and your prayers that I completed five years, otherwise the question of completing five years does not arise." Political commentator Narayan Bareth, however, said, "They could meet anytime. But their rift was so wide that it is not believable that they could ever reconcile by heart in the future. But, both of them have a long political career ahead, particularly Pilot, who is a face of the youth leadership." He added, "There was pressure from the top leadership as Rahul Gandhi has kept on sending a strong message of unity of the party. None of these two leaders achieved anything out of this rift in the last five years. But there was a lot of loss for the party even in the elections. At least, this meeting will send a message to the public and also to the high command that they are putting an effort to mend the gaps and showcase unity, which is crucial for the party's future."...