A Rajasthan Cabinet meeting will be held on Tuesday evening at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence amid the political chaos in the state, ANI reported.
This came hours after the Rajasthan High Court reserved its judgement on the plea filed by rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs against their disqualification notices. The final verdict will be delivered on July 24.
Earlier in the day, Gehlot was a part of the Congress Legislative Party meeting in Jaipur. During the meeting, he reportedly claimed that neither the Congress nor the Bharatiya Janata Party want the Rajasthan Assembly to be dissolved. The meeting was held at the Fairmont Hotel, where the MLAs of the chief minister’s camp have been sequestered.
“[The] entire country is watching the way you are fighting,” the chief minister told the MLAs. “Your respect has increased manifold. It is not something ordinary. All of you have phones, there is no pressure on anyone.”
Congress leader Ajay Maken, state unit president Govind Singh Dotasara were among those who were present at the Legislative Party meeting. This was the third meeting of the Congress since the political crisis began in the state.
The Congress government in Rajasthan has been on the brink of collapse after Pilot rebelled against Gehlot and proceeded with a few MLAs to Delhi last week. Pilot was sacked as the Rajasthan deputy chief minister and as the Congress’ state unit chief on July 14. The next day, Assembly Speaker CP Joshi disqualified Pilot and 18 other legislators. The party has accused the BJP of political manoeuvring to topple its government in the state.
On Monday, Gehlot claimed that Pilot was conspiring to topple his administration for the past six months. The chief minister said that Pilot was acting on behalf of the BJP and was given money, “backed by corporate houses from Mumbai”, to bring down the Rajasthan government. Gehlot added that he was in constant touch with party president Sonia Gandhi over the matter, but expressed doubt on the return of Pilot and the rebel MLAs to the party.
Before the political turmoil erupted, the Congress had the backing of 125 MLAs, including 107 of its own lawmakers. As many as 13 Independents and five MLAs from other parties – one from the Rashtriya Lok Dal, two MLAs from the Bharatiya Tribal Party and two more from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – support it. However, on Friday, the two legislators of the Bharatiya Tribal Party announced they will support Gehlot’s government in the state.
The majority mark in the Rajasthan Assembly is 101. The BJP has 72 legislators and has the support of three Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MLAs. Pilot has repeatedly said that he will not join the BJP.
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