For 3rd time in a row, Rajasthan govt sends proposal to Guv for summoning Assembly session

As per sources, the Rajasthan government sent a revised proposal to Governor Kalraj Mishra on Tuesday, asking him to summon the Assembly session from July 31. This comes a day after Mishra had given a conditional nod for the Assembly session provided the state government gives a 21-day notice. Denying the buzz that he was delaying summoning the Assembly session, the Governor also mentioned that the proceedings of a floor test should be broadcast live.

He also called for taking adequate precautions during the proposed state Assembly sitting to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Earlier in the day, a meeting of the Rajasthan Cabinet chaired by CM Ashok Gehlot formulated a response to these points raised by Mishra. Amid the power tussle in the state, Tuesday marked the third time in a row that the Rajasthan government has sent the proposal to the Governor for summoning a special session of the Assembly. 

Read: Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Gehlot Sends Fresh Proposal; BJP Files Plea In HC

The rift in Rajasthan Congress

Pilot’s departure to Delhi with some of his supporting legislators on July 11 set off alarm bells in the Congress camp. The rift between CM Ashok Gehlot and him widened after the legislators belonging to his camp skipped two Legislative Party meetings. Despite Pilot's insistence that he will not join BJP, the Congress party sacked him as the Deputy CM and the PCC chief. On July 24, a division bench of the Rajasthan HC comprising Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Prakash Gupta ordered a "status quo" on the Assembly Speaker's notices issued to sacked Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs. This implies that the Speaker cannot take any coercive action against the Pilot camp until the HC concludes hearing the matter. 

Read: Chidambaram Challenges Sachin Pilot; Suggests Act That'll Put His Allegiance Beyond Doubt

BSP to file a petition in Rajasthan HC

Meanwhile, BJP leader Madan Dilwar filed another petition before the Rajasthan HC against the merger of six BSP MLAs in the state with Congress. The petition seeks cancellation of the membership of the aforesaid MLAs from the Rajasthan Assembly. Addressing the media in the morning, BSP supremo Mayawati had also hit out at Gehlot over facilitating the "unconstitutional" merger of her party MLAs into Congress. She pledged to teach the Congress party a lesson via the legal route. Reportedly, BSP shall file a plea in the Rajasthan HC on July 29. 

Read: Plea Filed In Rajasthan HC Seeking Removal Of Governor Kalraj Mishra Amid Political Crisis