Ahead of Rajasthan trust vote, BSP again issues whip to 6 MLAs to vote against Congress

With a trust vote imminent in the Rajasthan Assembly, BSP on Thursday again issued a whip to the 6 MLAs elected on its ticket to vote against the Congress party. The MLAs in question- Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana, and Rajendra Gudha joined Congress in September 2019. BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra warned that the aforesaid legislators could be disqualified for violating the whip under para 2(1)(b) of the tenth schedule of the Constitution.

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Pilot-Gehlot Display 'united' Front After CLP Meet

BJP and Congress push for the trust vote

Earlier in the day, BJP announced that it would move a no-confidence motion against the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan during the Assembly session on Friday. Talking to the media after the BJP Legislative Party meeting, Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria predicted that the government was unlikely to last for a long time. Speaking at the Congress Legislative Party meeting a few hours later, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot announced that he would seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly on Friday. The meeting witnessed all the 19 disgruntled MLAs including Sachin Pilot in attendance. 

BSP fights a legal battle

The BSP national leadership has refused to accept the merger of 6 BSP MLAs with Congress. On July 28, former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati lamented that the Rajasthan CM had acted with a "malicious intent" despite BSP's unconditional support to the Congress government after the 2018 Assembly polls. According to her, the BSP had been cheated by Congress on multiple occasions. Furthermore, she contended that Gehlot and Congress shall be responsible if the Rajasthan government is reduced to a minority.

Recently, BJP MLA Madan Dilawar and BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra moved the Rajasthan High Court seeking a stay on the BSP MLAs' merger with Congress. As the hearing of the matter remained inconclusive on Thursday, it will continue on Friday. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal concluded his argument for Assembly Speaker CP Joshi. Additionally, the apex court has refused to interfere in the matter at this stage as the Rajasthan HC is already hearing it. However, the fate of the 6 BSP-turned-Congress MLAs may not be crucial for the survival of the Rajasthan government after the Pilot camp's return to the Congress fold. 

Read: 'Mockery Of Democracy': BJP Questions Rajasthan Congress' 'drama', Demands Apology