Rajasthan Political Crisis LIVE Updates: Amid Impasse, ED Raids Gehlot's Brother in Fertiliser Scam

The Rajasthan CM’s diatribe against his former deputy, Sachin Pilot, has surprised many. The attacks are aimed both at the defectors and his own party MLAs.

Joshi's Petition Filed in SC | Speaker CP Joshi's SLP has been filed in the Supreme Court now.

Agrasen Gehlot Named as Accused in ECIR | Agrasen Gehlot has been named as an accused in ECIR, which is equivalent to an FIR. The case was initially being investigated by the IT department. After the IT Department filed a prosecution complaint, a case has been registered under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Update | According to ED, imported fertiliser (subsidised) was diverted to private companies.  Agrasen Gehlot okayed a key role in diverting the product to private companies. Subsidised fertiliser was supposed to be consumed domestically by only farmers.

Company Owned by CM Gehlot's Brother Being Raided | A company owned by brother of Ashok Gehlot, Agrasen Gehlot, is being raided by the Enforcement Directorate, regarding a fertiliser scam.

CPI (M) on Political Crisis | The CPI(M) on Monday 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.

The CBI on Tuesday questioned Deva Ram Saini, OSD to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in connection with the alleged suicide by state police officer Vishnudutt Vishnoi in Churu on May 23, officials said. Read more here.

WATCH | Will CM Gehlot Call A Floor Test To End Rebellion?

Speaker Set to Move SC | Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi is set to move the Supreme Court with an SLP.  The petition will be filed shortly, and Joshi will challenge the Rajasthan HC order made a day ago. He said the HC can't 'order' another constitutional authority, adding that the order was direct intrusion into the exclusive domain of the Speaker. Joshi will ask for a hearing today itself.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Political Crisis | Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who has been accused by Congress of illegal horse trading of MLAs, today hit out at the party, saying "to keep a party happy, the entire country was paying a price".

एक परिवार को खुश रखने की कीमत पूरे देश ने चुकाई है!#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) July 22, 2020

Gehlot said he had talked about a conspiracy to topple his government, but nobody believed that somebody with an 'innocent face' could be involved.

CP Joshi on HC Action​ | Speaker CP Joshi said that he was moving the Supreme Court against the High Court's decision to entertain a petition by Pilot and his camp of MLAs at the procedural level when the Speaker had not passed any order and only a show-cause notice had been issued.

CP Joshi Alleges Constitutional Crisis | Rajasthan Assembly speaker CP Joshi alleged that the authorities' rightful division of powers was being circumvented by the matter reaching High Court, calling it a "constitutional crisis".

Speaker has the complete authority to send a show-cause notice. I have asked my counsel to file SLP in Supreme Court: Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi pic.twitter.com/AxCebdQCu0

— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2020

Speaker Joshi Says Supreme Court to be Approached With SLP | Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi said that the Supreme Court would be moved with a Special Leave Petition as the rightful action of authorities had been circumvented, leading to a constitutional crisis.

CP Joshi Says Only Speaker Has Right to Disqualify MLAs | Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi says that only the Speaker has the right to disqualify MLAs as in 1992, a constitution bench said that the court will not interfere in such actions.

Reconcialition Hopes Dashed | Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's public outburst against Sachin Pilot on Monday has virtually dashed hopes of reconciliation with the rebel leader, according to a section of Congress leaders.

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

The Rajasthan CM’s diatribe against his former deputy, Sachin Pilot, has surprised many. The attacks are aimed both at the defectors and his own party MLAs.

BJP Attacks Congress Amid Crisis | In a swipe at Rahul Gandhi over his regular tweets attacking the central government, the BJP said on Tuesday that the Congress will become a "party of tweets" as it is doing no work among people and "losing" one leader after another.

On July 13, Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) issued a whip to its two MLAs asking them to not vote for BJP or Congress in case of a floor test. The party also declared its distance through a formal statement issued on social media, saying it would maintain distance from both the national parties in case of a floor test just as it had done in the case of recently held Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat, where BTP’s two MLAs did not cast their votes and which cost Congress dearly. Read more here.

The Gandhis may end up dumping Pilot for the sake of the party. But this also reflects the fact that they have been unable to help their own.

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker to Address Media Today | Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi will be addressing the media today.

WATCH | Sachin Pilot's Political Career Through Rare Interviews

Gehlot's Comments | "This is intolerable and condemnable. Those betraying the party will not be able to show their faces in public," Gehlot said addressing a Congress Legislature Party meeting at a hotel here.

'Hatching Conspiracy' | The state government is fighting with coronavirus crisis and at the same time, a leader who was a state Congress president and a few other MLAs in collusion with the BJP were "hatching a conspiracy" to topple it, he alleged without taking the name of Pilot or any other party leader.

Ashok Gehlot Lashes at Sachin Pilot | Lashing out again at dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here on Tuesday said those betraying the party will not be able to face the public. Gehlot also reiterated that a conspiracy to topple his government was being hatched but said he was confident that they will complete their tenure.

Pilot and the 18 dissident Congress MLAs have challenged their disqualification notices in the high court through a writ petition.

Two More Parties Allowed | The also court allowed the application of two other parties to be included as respondents as heard them on Tuesday. "It will become clear on July 24 whether the court pronounces the final order or interim order," the counsel said. Earlier, counsels had told reporters that the order has been reserved.

All Parties Asked to File Arguments by Friday | Arguments were heard and completed on Tuesday. All the parties have been asked to file their written arguments by Friday. "The court will now pass appropriate orders on July 24. The speaker was also requested to defer action on the notices till Friday," the counsel for the Speaker said.

HC Says No Action Against Rebel MLAs Till Friday | The Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday requested the Legislative Assembly Speaker to defer action on disqualification notices till Friday as it will pass appropriate orders on the writ petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 dissident legislators on that day, the speaker's counsel said.

Malinga's Statement | Malinga told reporters on Monday that the talks were held at Pilot's residence and he (Malinga) alerted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot about the conspiracy to topple the state government. "I had a talk with Sachin ji. He had offered money to join the BJP but I refused that I will not join the BJP," Malinga said.