Congress draws Mahabharat parallel to Rajasthan crisis, compares BJP with 'Kauravas'

As the Rajasthan political crisis gets murkier by the hour, Congress and BJP have traded barbs and fired salvos at each other. In the latest, Congress spokesperson and the high command's envoy to the desert state, Randeep Surjewala, has drawn parallels from the epic Mahabharata with the political crisis for a sharp attack on the BJP.

Taking to Twitter after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that Governor Kalraj Mishra is not willing to convene an Assembly session under pressure from the BJP leadership, Surjewala said the JP Nadda-led party has made the Constitution a 'circus', democracy a 'Draupadi' and public opinion a 'hostage'. He compared the BJP with the tyrannical Kauravas, suggesting they will be taught a lesson by the people like Lord Krishna did in the epic.

"BJP has made the Constitution a 'circus', democracy a 'Draupadi' and public opinion a 'hostage'. Don't forget the condition of the 'Kauravas' who performed 'Draupadi's cheer-haran (stripping)', the same the "Krishna Rupi" people of Rajasthan will do to the conspiracy of the BJP. Now there will be justice!" the Congress leader wrote in Hindi.

Surjewala went on to question the BJP's perceived reluctance to allow an Assembly session saying, "When the Congress Government has a majority, when the Congress Government wants to call a session of the House, when the Government has this right under the Constitution, then why are the BJP and their followers running away from the session? Are those sitting in Delhi afraid of the majority of the (Congress) legislators?"

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Guv bidding for Centre: CM

After the cabinet meeting on Friday, CM Ashok Gehlot alleged that Centre is pressurising the Governor to not allow assembly session in the state. Revealing that he had demanded assembly session to prove his majority in the House, Gehlot said that even after repeated requests, Governor Kalraj Mishra has not responded, adding that he is acting under the Centre's pressure.

Moreover, Gehlot issued a threat to the Governor saying that if he doesn't allow the session, people of the state might gherao the Raj Bhavan and he would not take responsibility for any such incident. He also said that the Congress party is heading towards the Raj Bhavan to make the request for assembly session once again.

Rajasthan HC makes Centre a party

Earlier in the day, in a big relief to ousted Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebel MLAs, the Rajasthan High Court said that the status quo will be maintained in the disqualification notice i.e no action will be taken against the MLAs till the SC hearing is completed. Moreover, it has made the Centre a party to the proceedings. The Ministry of Law and Justice has been impleaded in the case. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) will represent the Centre in the court.

(PTI Photo)

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