BJP shifting MLAs due to chinks in its ranks: Rajasthan CM

JAISALMER: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday criticised the BJP for shifting Rajasthan MLAs to different locations, including Gujarat, and claimed that the opposition party was riddled with factionalism.
The BJP has been herding its MLAs in hotels and resorts since Friday ahead of the assembly session on August 14.
Gehlot, while defending the stay of Congress legislators at two hotels in Jaisalmer, said the ruling party was required to keep them together to thwart horse-trading of MLAs by the BJP.
“Why is BJP worried? It is fencing its MLAs at three-four locations, in a selective manner. I can see friction in them,” Gehlot told reporters at the Jaisalmer airport.
The chief minister alleged that the BJP was trying to topple his government at a time when he was making efforts to save lives amid the corona pandemic.
Speaking through video conferencing at a function of the tribal area development department, Gehlot reiterated that conspiracies were hatched to topple his government. “The current one is the third attempt. The earlier two attempts were in March and June in the run up to Rajya Sabha polls,” Gehlot said.
Naming Union ministers Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan and Piyush Goyal once again, the chief minister said, “They all are conspiring. It is the country's misfortune that such people, who want to weaken democracy, are in power.”
The CM said that this fight to save democracy will continue even after August 14. “We will win, the truth will win. The victory will be of the people and of all those MLAs who, whether they are in government or in the opposition, do not want the state government to be unstable,” Gehlot said.