Rajasthan Congress legislators and MLAs supporting the party have reached the Raj Bhawan in Jaipur to collectively request Governor Kalraj Mishra to convene a session of the Assembly. Accompanied by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, they arrived in four buses from a hotel on the city outskirts where they have been camping for the past few days. Before the visit, Gehlot called their meeting at the hotel and also addressed mediapersons, telling them that the Congress wants an Assembly session from Monday. Earlier in the day, Gehlot alleged the governor was under pressure to not call an Assembly session.
In major relief for the Sachin Pilot camp, the Rajasthan High Court today ordered ‘status quo’ to be maintained in the disqualification case against the now-sacked deputy chief minister and 18 other dissidents, putting off the decision till Monday when the Supreme Court hears the case. The order came after the court allowed the application moved by Team Pilot seeking impleadment of the Union of India as a party to the proceedings in the disqualification matter. A bench of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Prakash Gupta allowed the application that was moved by the petitioners on Thursday. The court then adjourned for 20 minutes. The application for impleadment was moved on the grounds that the constitutional amendment is under challenge and, therefore, the Union of India is a necessary party now. The dissident Congress MLAs led by Pilot have challenged their disqualification notices through the writ petition which was taken up by the bench on Friday last week and arguments were held.
At a time when Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has been accusing the BJP of horse trading and making all efforts to topple his government amid the Covid-19 crisis, the state BJP chief has also showered a barrage of questions on the CM, saying his party should set its own house in order before pointing fingers at others. In an interview, BJP state president Satish Poonia brushed aside allegations of BJP helping Sachin Pilot, who was sacked as PCC chief and Deputy CM recently, claiming that leaders of such cadre have their own influence and fan following. Poonia says that Pilot can be Chief Minister if the situation allows. “Sachin Pilot has been the Deputy CM of the state since last one-and-a-half years. He has also been the PCC chief of Rajasthan since last six years. He has his own stature. In fact, political leaders of his rank have their own influence and following. Why should BJP be blamed for giving him patronage? Allegations made by CM are beyond reality,” he said.
Poonia added that the CM himself “has been giving patronage to his own MLAs from Gujarat and MP and has been playing resort politics in Rajasthan since last many months”. Talking about the situation in the state, the BJP state chief said: “If the situation allows, Sachin Pilot can become the Chief Minister. In fact, he has taken a big step with this goal in mind. Meanwhile, the matter is sub-judice in present conditions and hence it will be too early to judge the facts. Firstly, he is the one who needs to decide what will be his next step and then we will take a call. But one fact is clear that the Gehlot government stands on verge of collapse as they will be left with wafer-thin majority if 19 MLAs including Pilot and 3 independents who are out from Congress camp, leave the government,” he said.
Speaking about the role of the BJP, Poonia said, “BJP is monitoring all developments. As we are the party with the highest mandate after Congress, we will definitely discuss the issue with our central leaders and parliamentary board and then take a call.” He also alleged “vendetta politics” was being played by the CM against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to “avenge the defeat of his son during Lok Sabha elections from his home constituency Jodhpur. He wanted his son to settle down, however, he failed to garner votes even from his home seat which once stood undefeated”, he said.
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