Rajasthan political crisis live updates: BJP to hold meeting in Jaipur today

Congress withheld any move to disqualify rebel MLAs, perhaps with an eye on a likely floor test. If the rebel strength does not decline, then disqualification proceedings might be considered. Some Congress leaders, though unhappy over Pilot's exit, felt the leader had over-extended himself.

So far, Pilot’s camp has said he will not join BJP though there is speculation over various formulae that might include the leader floating a regional party or being accommodated at the Centre in the cabinet. It is, however, clear that BJP and Pilot will need to join forces to challenge Gehlot.

The next act in the political drama will depend on Pilot's ability to mobilise MLAs and a likely floor test Gehlot may face. BJP leaders like Union water resources minister Gajendra Shekhawat said anyone who believed in the party’s beliefs was welcome.

While BJP demanded that Gehlot face a floor test, Pilot’s plan of action was not immediately clear. He tweeted in Hindi, saying “truth can be rattled, not defeated”, and there were expectations that he might address the media on Wednesday. The parting with Congress was on the cards as Pilot had made it clear that portfolios for supporters or assurances on his tenure as state chief fell way short of his expectations.

Gehlot, too, was determined to settle the issue, placing a majority of Congress MLAs in a resort and alleging that BJP was the force behind Pilot.

Four Pilot loyalists — cabinet ministers Vishvendra Singh (tourism) and Ramesh Meena (food and civil supplies) and heads of frontal organisations Rakesh Pareek of Seva Dal and Mukesh Bhakar of Youth Congress — were also sacked. Pareek was replaced by Hem Singh Shekhawat and Bhakar by MLA Ganesh Ghogra. NSUI president Abhimanyu Poonia resigned from his post in support of Pilot.

The decision to remove Pilot came after a meeting of the Congress legislature party (CLP) called for strict action against rebels on Tuesday.

The development was not a surprise as efforts by the Congress brass to get Pilot to withdraw his rebellion failed even as his supporters upped the ante by demanding a change of leadership. School education minister and Jat leader Govind Singh Dotasra, seen as “neutral” in state politics, was named the new PCC chief.

The bitter feud between Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and his challenger Sachin Pilot reached the point of no return with Congress on Tuesday sacking the latter as deputy CM and state party chief, accusing him of working at the instance of BJP to topple the state government.