Rajasthan Political Crisis LIVE Updates: For the 1st Time in India's History a Party Head is Conspiring to Topple His Own Govt, Says Gehlot

Pilot Denies Bribery Offer | Sachin Pilot has strongly denied allegations by a Congress MLAs that he was offered money by the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister to switch sides to the BJP as part of his attempts to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in the state. Read full article here

Omar Abdullah withdraws his previous statement condemning the insinuation that Sachin Pilot's actions in Rajasthan are linked his and his father's release:

I’m pulling the statement down. We made certain mistakes in the party statement which I cleared. A fresh statement will be put up in a few minutes.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 20, 2020

Never in the history of India would I ever hear that the head of a party conspired to topple its own government. I have never heard of this till date: Ashok Gehlot

हिंदुस्तान के इतिहास में ऐसा कभी नहीं सुना होगा कि कोई पार्टी का हैड खुद ही अपनी सरकार को गिराने के लिए षड्यंत्र करे....ऐसा आज तक मैंने कभी सुना नहीं। pic.twitter.com/zM3fpeTSgq

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 20, 2020

Call on Supporting Gehlot Govt after Clarity on Floor Test: CPI(M) | The CPI(M) said it will take a decision on supporting the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led government once it becomes clear when the floor test will be held in the Rajasthan assembly. This comes days after Balwan Poonia, one of the two CPI(M) MLAs in the state assembly, pledged his support to Gehlot, who is embroiled in a power struggle with his former deputy Sachin Pilot.

Omar Abdullah says he is fed up of allegations that Sachin Pilot's actions are linked to his or his father's release from detention.

I am fed up of the downright malicious and false allegation that what Sachin Pilot is doing is somehow linked to my or my father’s release from detention earlier this year. Enough is enough. Mr @bhupeshbaghel will be hearing from my lawyers. Cc @RahulGandhi @INCIndia @rssurjewala https://t.co/oMzSl5xnBR

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 20, 2020

Will Take Strict Legal Action against MLA: Pilot | I will be taking appropriate and strictest possible legal action against the MLA Giriraj Singh Malinga who was made to make these accusations. I am sure more such concocted allegations will be thrown at me to cause aspersions on my public image. But I shall be unfettered and remain firm in my beliefs and convictions: Sachin Pilot

Attempt to Defame, Attack My Credibility: Pilot | I am saddened but not surprised to be at the receiving end of such baseless and vexatious allegations being leveled against me. This is done solely to malign me and to stifle the legitimate concerns that I had raised against the party leadership of the state, as a member and MLA of INC. This attempt further aims at defaming me and attack my credibility. The narrative is being redirected to avoid addressing the main issue: Sachin Pilot

Hearing Resumes | Hearing resumes in Rajasthan High Court. The Speaker, without hearing the petitioners, has already made up his mind, says Harish Salve. When Speaker appears before the Court and argues vigorously for disqualification, it has to be inferred that he has already made up his mind, he says.

Sachin Pilot, dissidents decline to file replies to Speaker's notice. They want the High Court to rather decide. Salve turns down the offer by the Speaker to keep his hands off till Wednesday if 19 MLAs agree to file replies to notices by tomorrow

Effort will be that the hearing is completed today so that court can deliver its order by tomorrow so that it can be clear whether hearing before Speaker will take place or not: Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Speaker CP Joshi

BJP Vice Prez & JP Nadda Discuss Rajasthan Pol Situation | BJP National Vice President Om Mathur met party president JP Nadda at the party headquarters in Delhi today. Among other issues, they also discussed the political situation in Rajasthan: Sources

Rajasthan HC Hearing | Harish Salve seeks time to argue in rejoinder on Wednesday next week. Abhishek Manu Singhvi asked by bench to get in touch with the Speaker for an extension of time of disqualification notices. Hearing to resume at 5 pm.

Rajasthan is the only state where no demand was raised to change the PCC president in seven years. We knew that nothing is happening here: Ashok Gehlot

Plea Pre-matured, Should be Rejected: Singhvi | During the hearing in the Rajasthan High Court on a petition filed by Congress rebel Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs against disqualification notices issued to them by the Assembly Speaker, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing on behalf of the Speaker, argued that the petition of the Pilot faction is pre-matured and hence should be dismissed.

Gehlot Fires Fresh Salvo at Pilot | Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot fired a fresh salvo at his political rival Sachin Pilot alleging that he played a very dirty game and conspired to topple his own government. After terming him 'Nikamma' (useless) and 'Nakara' (purposeless), he ended his speech saying Satyamev Jayate. Speaking to the media, Gehlot said, "There was no lack of respect for Pilot in the party, but he played a very dirty game and conspired to please the BJP."

Shekhawat Questions Audio Tapes' Authenticity | Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat questioned the authenticity of the audio clips, cited by the Congress to allege his involvement in a purported bid to topple the Rajasthan government, and sought to know its source and how the state police got it. The Rajasthan Police SOG, which is probing the case, had earlier sent a notice to Shekhawat, asking him to give his voice sample and record his statement.

Our MLAs are staying without any restrictions but the BJP has held its MLAs captive, who are now calling us and crying over phone while explaining their ordeal. Their personal mobile phones have also been snatched. Some of them want to join us, says Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

WATCH | Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says the game played by rebel Congress MLA Sachin Pilot is very unfortunate.

#WATCH Sachin Pilot ne jis roop mein khel khela vo bahut durbhagyapurna hai. Kisiko yakeen nahi hota ki yeh vyakti aisa kar sakta hai...maasoom chehra, Hindi English par achchi command aur pure desh ki media ko impress kar rakha hai: Rajasthan CM pic.twitter.com/gv51qOe66n

— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2020

Until Speaker Disqualifies, MLAs Continue to be Members of Cong: Joshi | The petitioners are asking for a declaration that they are members of the Congress party, which cannot be granted. Until the Speaker doesn't disqualify the offending MLAs they continue to be members of the Congress party and hence the party can suspend them, says Mahesh Joshi.

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, concludes his argument. Advocate Devadatt Kamat, lobbying for Congress leader Mahesh Joshi, begins his argument.

Kataria Requests DGP to Register Complaint against Cong Leaders Over False Statements | Leader of the Opposition Gulab Chandra Kataria writes to DGP, requesting him to register an FIR on the complaint of BJP leader Laxmikant Bhardwaj against Congress leaders Mahesh Joshi, Randeep Surjewala and others over a manufactured audio clip and false statements by Congress.

Some Corporates Are Helping Pilot, Says Gehlot | Some corporates are helping rebel Congress MLA Sachin Pilot, says Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.

Speaking on money being offered to Giriraj Malinga, Gehlot says it never happened in the history where a party chief was trying to topple his own government. This will be suicidal for BJP for next election also. On a floor test being conducted, the Rajasthan CM says, all will know what will happen next.

BJP is playing the game everyone knows. When Congress refused to budge then Pilot said that he will create a third front. This is a big conspiracy to topple the Rajasthan government. When I received the information, raids were conducted for specific people, says Gehlot.

No One Believed When I Spoke of Plot to Topple Raj Govt: Gehlot | Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot says no one used to believe when he used to say that a conspiracy is going on to topple the Congress government in the state. On Sachin Pilot, he says Pilot impresses media with his innocent look. 

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | In concluding statements, Speaker's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi is answering the queries raised by Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty. 

Cong MLA Says Pilot Offered Him Rs 35 Cr to Switch to BJP | Congress MLA Giriraj Singh Malinga says Sachin Pilot offered him Rs 35 crore to switch from Congress to BJP but he refused. The incident, he says, took place in December and again before the Rajasthan Rajya Sabha elections.

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | As hearing resumes after lunch break, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi begins his arguments once again and starts to present concluding statements. His statement is entirely based on the argument that the petition of the rebel MLAs is premature.

Rajasthan High Court's hearing of Pilot camp’s plea will resume shortly after lunch break. 

ADG Dinesh MN Holds Meeting in ACB HQs | ADG Dinesh MN holds a meeting on audio tape case in the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) headquarters in Jaipur. All Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and Superintendent of Police (SP) rank officials are present in the meeting. The meeting is held on the case of audio tapes that were earlier sent to the ACB by Mahesh Joshi. Sanjay Jain was detained for enquiry and will be questioned in the ACB headquarters.