Rajasthan govt crisis: BJP ally accuses Vasundhara Raje of trying to save Gehlot govt

In a massive development on Thursday, BJP ally Rashtriya Loktantrik Party accused former CM Vasundhara Raje of trying to save the Congress government in Rajasthan. Writing on Twitter, RLP president Hanuman Beniwal alleged that Raje and CM Ashok Gehlot had a nexus whereby they covered up each other's alleged corruption. Moreover, he claimed to have proof of Raje calling up Congress MLAs close to her and asking them to support the Gehlot government. 

This latest allegation comes after speculations were rife about the former Rajasthan CM's absence at BJP meetings regarding the prevailing political turmoil in the state. Incidentally, in a recent interview, Pilot had accused Gehlot of helping Raje in multiple ways such as allowing her to retain a government bungalow. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP tied up with RLP despite Beniwal's public comments against Raje's style of functioning. He won from the Nagaur Lok Sabha constituency. Currently, the RLP has three seats in the Rajasthan Assembly. 

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Rajasthan HC Refers Pilot MLAs' Plea To 2-judge Bench

Read: Sachin Pilot Moves HC Against Speaker's Notice; Harish Salve & Mukul Rohatgi His Counsels

Congress asks Pilot to prove loyalty

On July 13, the Congress Legislative Party in Rajasthan passed a resolution unanimously supporting the state government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The MLAs also condemned all acts intended to weaken the government. They also called for strict disciplinary action to be taken against any Congress MLA or office-bearer of the party directly or indirectly involved in anti-party activities. However, Sachin Pilot and his loyalists stayed away from this meeting.

Moreover, they rejected the Congress party's overtures by refusing to attend the second CLP meeting convened on Tuesday.  A day earlier, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked Sachin Pilot and other dissident MLAs to prove their loyalty to the party by returning to Jaipur. Taking a dig at Pilot, Surjewala urged the MLAs to talk on party forums instead of communicating through the media.

After Pilot and 18 other MLAs were issued disqualification notices, they challenged it in the Rajasthan High Court. The disqualification notice has been challenged on the grounds that the Assembly is not in session and that the MLAs had not indulged in anti-party activities. Appearing for the Assembly Speaker, Congress RS MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi opposed the plea, citing that the final decision on the disqualification petitions has not been taken. The matter was referred to a division bench. 

Read: Kapil Sibal Rebounds From Being Worried For Congress; Won't Buy Pilot's 'not Joining BJP'