Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot in Jaipur on Thursday. (PTI)Rajasthan Government Floor Test Live Updates: The Congress government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday won the motion of confidence, ending the threat triggered by a rebellion within the Congress ranks in the state. The motion of confidence moved by the Congress government was passed by voice vote, an expected win after the return of the 19 dissident MLAs led by Sachin Pilot to the party-fold. The house has been adjourned till August 21, said Assembly Speaker CP Joshi. In a House of 200, the Congress party has 107 MLAs and the support of Independents and allies. The BJP has 72 members.
In his first reaction, Former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said, “the vote of confidence which was brought by the govt has been passed with a very good majority today in the Rajasthan Assembly. Despite various attempts by the opposition, the result is in favour of govt.” Putting complete faith on Congress, Pilot said that a roadmap has been prepared to address all the issues that were being raised. ” I have complete faith, that roadmap will be announced timely,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Gehlot said it would be “a victory of truth” during the assembly session. Replying to the debate on the motion, Gehlot criticised the BJP, accusing it again of trying to bring down his government. “I will not let the government topple at any cost even if you make all attempts,” he said.
A Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, chaired by Gehlot, was held Thursday to decide a strategy for the session. After nearly a month-long political crisis, the meeting was attended by former deputy CM Sachin Pilot, who had failed to topple his party’s government. Gehlot said he would have been able to prove his majority without the support from the 19 rebel MLAs, but “it wouldn’t have made us happy”.
Sachin Pilot with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
In his first reaction, Former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said, "the vote of confidence which was brought by the govt has been passed with a very good majority today in the Rajasthan Assembly. Despite various attempts by the opposition, the result is in favour of govt."
The Congress government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday won the motion of confidence through voice vote.
Responding to Kataria's allegation of illegal phone tapping, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says: "There hasn't been a tradition in Rajasthan to illegally tap phones of MP and MLAs and neither has any such thing taken place."
Responding to the BJP, Sachin Pilot says: "Since my name is being taken repeatedly, I want to tell the House that whatever has been said or not by me, our party, leaders, whether one should feel bad for that, leave that up to us and discuss the confidence motion"
Speaking at the Assembly over the phone tapping incident, Kataria blamed Congress for using the state police for their personal work. "Did you indulge in phone tapping with permission or without permission? One can accept if permission was taken but if done without permission, then you have used the police for your personal work and put the prestige of police on stake," said Kataria in Assembly
Taking a jibe at the Congress government in Rajasthan, Rajasthan leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said the Congress is trying to blame BJP for their own in-house quarrel. 'You haven't been wounded because of us. You are wounded because of quarrels in your house and are now trying to blame us for it, which is not right. BJP has nothing to do with this situation,' Kataria said.
Referring to Akbar, Rajasthan Parliamentary Affair Minister Shanti Dhariwal said the Mughal emperor had to taste defeat in Mewar of Rajasthan during his quest to expand his empire. Similarly, BJP's attempts to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government were defeated, he added.
Continuing his address to the Assembly, Pilot said: "Whatever was to be said, or heard, whether about me or any of my companions, we have spoken about our ailment to the doctor before whom it was supposed to be raised. After getting the treatment, the 125 of us are standing inside the House." He added: "After finishing all the talks, we have entered the House. It doesn't matter how much firing takes place along this border. Everyone else and I shall keep it protected by being its shields and spears."
"You say we have been staying in a five-star culture? We were sitting there so that Gehlot could fight the battle to save the country's democracy against those arrogant people sitting in Delhi," independent MLA Sanyam Lodha said in the Assembly.
Speaking on his changed sitting arrangement in the Assembly, former deputy CM Sachin Pilot said: "I wondered why my seat was designated here. I thought for two minutes and saw that this is the border between the government and the opposition. Who is sent to the border? The strongest warrior."
Rathore added: "How can a government, which engages in elephant trading, talk of horse-trading? You have merged the BSP twice."
"The slogan of the tourism department is 'jane kya dikh jaye.' The slogan of this government is 'jane kya ho jaye'," says deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore.
"For the last 1.5 months, the public of Rajasthan has been seeing this high profile political drama. All the characters in this drama are from the same side," deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore said.
Dhariwal also said that "Rajasthan mein na shah ki chali hai na kisi tanashah ki (Neither Shah nor any dictator could topple our government), triggering a host of objections from the opposition BJP.
While speaking in the Assembly, Shakti Kumar Dhariwal said: "Time has shown how many birds have actually flown. We haven't failed Operation Lotus, you yourself have done so."
As the Assembly session resumed at 1 pm, Rajasthan Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal tabled a proposal for a trust vote, news agency ANI reported.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Congress Chief Whip, Dr Mahesh Joshi said: "We have moved the Motion of Confidence in the Assembly. Up to Speaker C P Joshi now on when he takes it up."
The Congress today issued a whip to all its MLAs, asking them to be present in the House for the Assembly session. The whip was issued by Mahesh Joshi.
Due to heavy rainfall and water logging, several MLAs from the Gehlot camp are yet to reach the Assembly. Keeping this in mind, the Assembly was adjourned to 1 pm today.
Ahead of the Assembly session, Gehlot tweeted: "As the Legislative Assembly session begins today, it would be the victory of the people of #Rajasthan and the unity of our Congress MLAs, it would be a victory of truth: Satyamev Jayate."