Rajasthan Crisis LIVE Updates: Reply Within 2 Days or Face Disqualification, Says Speaker in Notice to Sachin Pilot & 18 Others; Rebel Leader Says He's Not Joining BJP

Sachin Pilot camp sources claim notice served by Rajasthan Speaker C P Joshi is completely illegal and it will be responded to. We are very much with Congress, unless the party removes us. We have been dedicated to the party and have worked hard on the ground. We are in touch with our lawyers and if it comes to that, after exhausting all options, we will resort to legal recourse, say sources.

Congress party puts notice at MLA Hemaram Choudhary's residence in Gudamalani, Barmer in Rajasthan for not attending the recent Congress Legislative Party meetings. 

Rajasthan: Congress party puts notice at MLA Hemaram Choudhary's residence in Gudamalani, Barmer, for not attending the recent Congress Legislative Party meetings. He has to respond to the notice within 2 days. pic.twitter.com/iDw5BZAeeL

— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2020

In an apparent reference to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's camp, Sachin Pilot said some leaders in Rajasthan were trying to fuel speculation that he is joining the BJP and alleged that such speculation was being fuelled to tarnish his image. After being sacked, Pilot had tweeted that truth could be rattled but not defeated.

Congress had filed a petition with Speaker C P Joshi, seeking the disqualification of all party MLAs who did not attend the CLP meeting on Monday and Tuesday, says AICC general secretary Avinash Pande. He said it is up to the Speaker to decide what action to take if the replies to the notices are not satisfactory. The party has also issued a gag order, saying no Congress member can communicate with the media without the permission of the newly appointed state unit chief.

Congress party puts notice at MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat's residence in Vallabhnagar, Rajasthan, for not attending Legislative Party meetings. 

Rajasthan: Congress party puts notice at MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat's residence in Vallabhnagar, for not attending Congress Legislative Party meetings. He & 18 other party members have to respond to the notice within 2 days. pic.twitter.com/K2AoRgcsvx

— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2020

Hope Pilot Doesn't Try to Topple Govt: Cong Leader | May God give Sachin Pilot wisdom and he doesn't try to topple the government. He should admit his mistake. Doors were always open for him for talks, even today. But, now he seems to have moved ahead of all this, so these things don't matter now, says Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande.

Sachin Pilot was made an MP, a Central Minister, Rajasthan Party Chief and Deputy CM, what is his age? He is still young, he should have some patience. His actions have been against the party discipline. These youngsters do not have patience, says Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.

Sachin Pilot's Action Unacceptable: Digvijaya Singh | Senior Congess leader Digvijaya Singh deems Sachin Pilot's action as unacceptable and reiteriates that young politicians need to have more patience. I am sad to witness all this, says Singh.

Notice Issued to Sachin Pilot & 18 Others | Notice issued to Sachin Pilot and 18 other party members, for not attending Congress Legislative Party meetings. If they don't respond within 2 days, then it will be considered that they are withdrawing their membership from CLP: Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande. (Image: ANI)

Sachin Pilot says he has worked very hard to bring Congress back in government in Rajasthan. Some leaders in the state are trying to fuel speculation that I am joining BJP but I am not doing so, Sachin Pilot tells PTI.

'We Aren't Asking for Floor Test': Gulab Chand Kataria | BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria told News18 -"We are only watching from a distance, this is Congress' internal matter. I spoke to Vasundhara Raje and we will discuss all matters. There was no indication given to us that he (Pilot) will join us, he had issues with his party. We have our numbers with us. if there is a floor test we will look into it, we are not asking for a floor test. Congress needs to prove its number for the sake of democracy."

When asked on Twitter whether Pilot had left the party, Tharoor said,

BJP Key Meet in Jaipur Deferred | The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) key meet, scheduled in Jaipura at 11am stands deferred, News18 reports. Party leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has not arrived at Jaipur yet.

Have Fought & Defeated BJP, Why Should I Join Them: Pilot | Sachin Pilot says a false agenda is being spread about him joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). I have fought and defeated the BJP so why should I join them, Pilot tells CNN News18.

Not Joining BJP: Sachin Pilot | Rebel Congress leader and former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot confirms he is not joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reports ANI.

Congress leader Sanjay Jha says his loyalty is to the ideology of the party and not to any individual or family. 

My loyalty is to the Congress ideology. My fidelity is not to any individual or family.

I remain a Gandhi-Nehruvian idealist ( a vanishing breed within Congress). I will continue to raise issues that are fundamental to the resurgence of my party.

The battle has just begun.

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 15, 2020

Some of the promising leaders who left the Congress include Scindia, former Jharkhand unit chief Ajoy Kumar, former Tripura chief Pradyot Deb Barman, former Uttar Pradesh head Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Assam leaders Himanta Biswa Sarma and Bhubneswar Kalita and Amethi royal Sanjay Sinh. Most of them have complained against the senior party leadership alleging non-resolution of their grievances for a long time.

The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister's refusal to yield to the party high command's overtures is already being linked to his proximity to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who earlier revolted and left the…

Posters of new Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) chief Govind Singh Dotasara have already been put up all across Jaipur. (Image: News18)

Amid the ongoing political tussle in Rajasthan, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale claims the MVA government in Maharashtra will also not last long. Athawale, a BJP ally who heads the RPI (A), says Congress rebel leader Sachin Pilot should stand firmly behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He says, the Congress will lose power in the desert state if Pilot and MLAs supporting him join hands with the BJP. READ MORE

Most of those who have left the Congress recently, like Himanta Biswa Sarma and Jagdambika Pal, have complained about the inaccessibility of the Gandhis.

Former Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot makes changes to his Twitter profile, identifies himself as MLA from Tonk Assembly and Former Minister of IT, Telecom and Corporate Affairs.

Taking a dig at the crisis-hit Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the dispensation is on autopilot as the chief minister is "busy chasing a Pilot". Shekhawat, who is also the BJP MP from Jodhpur, said the saffron party is being blamed for the current crisis even though the Congress's members are against their own government.

Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot is expected to address a press briefing today, where he will likely lay out his plans for the future.

All Depts of RPCC Dissolved, to be Constituted under New Chief | Congress national general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pande dissolves the party's state executive and all departments and cells of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC). The Congress appoints Govind Singh Dotasara as the new president of the party's Rajasthan unit. With the appointment of the new president of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress, new state executive and departments and cells will be formed, says Pande. He says, no Congressman will communicate with the media without the permission of the newly appointed state Congress president. 

BJP to Hold Meeting in Jaipur | The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold a meeting in Jaipur today to in view of the current political situation in Rajasthan. The meeting will begin after the arrival of senior party leader and ex-Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.