Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who had a reunion with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday after a month-long stand-off, saw a positive message in his seat in the Assembly being changed. In response to constant jibes from the BJP that he had been pushed to the sidelines, the 42-year-old leader quipped, ‘strongest warrior is sent to the border.’

Pilot’s comments came just before the Ashok Gehlot government won a trust motion by voice vote and the House was adjourned till August 21.

Before his rebellion, Pilot was the deputy Chief Minister of the state and used to sit next to Gehlot but today when he walked into the House he saw that his seat had been changed and he was pushed to the sidelines, closer 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 felt safe. Now I am next to the Opposition. Then I realized that I have been sent to the sarhad (border). That is because only the bravest and strongest warrior is sent to the border,” said Pilot, reports ANI.

Pilot later told journalists outside the House that it’s not important where one sits. “Earlier, I was part of the government but now I am not. It is not important where one sits, but what is in the hearts and minds of people. As far as the seating pattern is considered, it is decided by Speaker and party and I don’t want to comment on it,” Pilot said according to ANI.

Pilot ended his rebellion this week after a month-long revolt that saw him walking out with 18 MLAs and remaining sequestered in Haryana. The stand-off finally ended with all returning to the party fold and a committee being set up to look into their grievances. A photo-op on Thursday saw the 69-year-old Chief Minister and his ex-deputy smiling and shaking hands at a CLP meeting.

Welcoming the rebels back into the party fold at the CLP meet, Gehlot, 69, advocated ‘forget and forgive’ adding that proving a majority without 19 MLAs would not have made him happy. He also assured everyone that grievances of all would be addressed ‘whenever they want’.

Pilot, speaking at the CLP meet, reportedly expressed gratitude to the MLAs across 33 districts for working with him during his tenure as the PCC chief and said he is happy that the party has listened to what the MLAs had to say in terms of what needs to be done for a more responsive government, what changes need to be done and what roadmap should be there to win the next assembly elections.