Before Assembly session, Vasundhara Raje rules out rift in BJP; says 'nation comes first'

A day ahead of the Assembly session in Rajasthan, former CM Vasundhara Raje on Thursday dismissed rumours of a rift within BJP. This comes amid speculation that Raje did not play an assertive role to ensure the fall of the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state. Maintaining that BJP is a family, she stressed that all MLAs were together to take the party forward. In a veiled reference to the buzz of her being sidelined in the party, she recalled that BJP places the nation before self-interest.

Raje stressed that she was following in her mother Vijaya Raje Scindia's footsteps. She observed that the BJP government led by her had served the people of Rajasthan for 10 years and propelled the state to new heights of development. The former CM accused the Congress government of doing nothing else apart from changing the name of schemes leading to the pendency of developmental works. Earlier in the day, she attended the BJP Legislative Party meeting in Jaipur where issues relating to the current situation in Rajasthan were discussed. 

Read: Rajasthan HC To Hear Pleas Against BSP MLAs-Cong Merger On Friday As Assembly Commences

BJP to move a no-confidence motion

Meanwhile, 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. This assumes significance amid the purported unease in the legislators close to Gehlot on the reconciliation of the Sachin Pilot camp MLAs with Congress. 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. Alleging that there were a lot of differences in the government, Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia stated that BJP and its allies would bring in the no-confidence motion if the state government failed to move a motion of confidence on its own. 

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: BJP To Move 'no-confidence Motion' Against Gehlot Govt

Warring camps in Rajasthan Congress reconcile

The efforts to ensure the stability of the Congress government bore fruit on Monday when Pilot met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the national capital. In an official statement, Congress revealed that the ex-Rajasthan Deputy CM expressed his grievances in detail and held a frank, open, and conclusive discussion. Furthermore, he committed to working in the interest of the Congress party. A three-member committee was constituted to address the issues raised by the Pilot camp MLAs and reach an appropriate resolution. The meeting of the Congress Legislative Party meeting will be held at 5 pm later in the day. 

Read: CM Gehlot Says Rajasthan MLAs Will 'forgive & Forget' Foul-tempered Tussle With Pilot Camp