Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with MLAs in the state Assembly. (Express file photo)
In a bid to project a show of strength, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has summoned a meeting of all party MLAs on Sunday night. Throughout the day several ministers and MLAs visited Gehlot’s home amid a political firestorm in the state at the heart of which is the tussle between Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot.
The meeting at CM’s official residence here is scheduled to take place at 9 pm, PTI reported. Independent MLAs supporting the Gehlot government have also been invited.
Earlier in the day, senior leader Kapil Sibal was the first from within the Congress to publicly acknowledge the crisis, saying he was worried for the party. Seeking a quick resolution of the “crisis”, he asked when would the party leadership “wake up”. “Worried for our party. Will we wake up only after the horses have bolted from our stables,” he said on Twitter.
The Congress, which had lost Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya Pradesh to the BJP after a similar long-drawn battle between the old guard and the new, claimed that there was no threat to the Rajasthan government.
Sad to see my erstwhile colleague, @SachinPilot too, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan CM, @ashokgehlot51 . Shows that talent and capability find little credence in the @INCIndia .
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 12, 2020
Even Scindia took a dig at his former party, saying the sidelining of Pilot showed talent and capability find little credence in the Congress.
“Sad to see my erstwhile colleague, Sachin Pilot too, being sidelined and persecuted by Rajasthan CM, Ashok Gehlot. Shows that talent and capability find little credence in the Congress,” Scindia said.
Reports of a coup were reignited after the state police, which arrested two BJP members for allegedly trying to lure away Congress and Independent MLAs with offers of Rs 20-25 crore each, lodged an FIR stating phone taps mentioned how the “Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are having a fight” and “Deputy CM says that he will be the CM” – a reference to the power tussle within the ruling Congress between Gehlot and Sachin Pilot.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot at a press conference (File)
Senior police officers said statements of both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister will be recorded in the matter.
Sachin Pilot, who also heads the Congress in Rajasthan, is in Delhi. On Pilot visiting Delhi, the persons in the conversation, according to the FIR, said “big political decisions are being taken in Delhi and things will move quickly after June 30… that’s when his stars will shine and he will take oath 5-10 days later”.
Addressing a press conference from his residence, Gehlot attacked the BJP, saying its leaders “have crossed all limits of humanity” during the pandemic and were playing “a game” on instructions from their central leadership. He also took a swipe at Pilot, reigniting the debate within the Congress. “Who doesn’t want to be CM? We too may have 5-7 people who may be contenders for CM and may also have the capability and talent. But only one can be CM. And then, after that everyone calms down,” he said while responding to a question.
Worried for our party
Will we wake up only after the horses have bolted from our stables ?
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) July 12, 2020
Earlier in June, Gehlot had targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged attempts to destabilise the state government during a pandemic.