BJP asks speaker to accept resignations of Cong MLAs

Jaipur: The Opposition BJP on Tuesday requested Speaker C P Joshi to accept the resignations of 91 Congress MLAs, including ministers, who had tendered their resignations to the Speaker last month over their party high command’s probable move to replace chief minister Ashok Gehlot with Sachin Pilot.
A delegation led by the leader of Opposition, Gulab Chand Kataria, handed over a representation to the Speaker at his residence on Tuesday. It said though the MLAs have tendered their resignations, they have not surrendered the government facilities like car, bungalows, staff, security, etc. The ministers are also attending meetings, signing on transfers and going on tour, the representation said. BJP state president Satish Poonia, deputy leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and party whip Jogeshwar Garg were part of the delegation. The BJP leaders said the Speaker sought more time to decide on the matter.
Speaking on the BJP representation to the speaker, Congress chief whip and PHED minister Mahesh Joshi said, "It is an internal matter of the party. The MLAs will act on the directions of the party high command." Kataria said three weeks have passed since then and the resignation letters are under the Speaker's consideration.
“The BJP legislature party requests you to accept the resignation letters of the MLAs given voluntarily or the MLAs should appear in front of you and withdraw their resignation and apologise publicly to the people of the state,” he said in the letter.
The BJP memorandum said after the resignation of 91 MLAs of the ruling party, the uncertainty on the existence of the government had affected the implementation of the public welfare programmes and general administration.
A political crisis had unfolded in the Rajasthan Congress over the party high command’s decision to hold a Congress Legislature Party meeting on September 25, which was seen as an exercise to change the chief minister prior to the party presidential election for which Gehlot was the frontrunner. However, the meeting could not take place because MLAs loyal to Gehlot held a parallel meeting and handed over their resignation to the Speaker as they believed Sachin Pilot would be made the chief minister.