'Come together to help all those affected': Sachin Pilot tweets on Assam & Bihar floods

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan, rebel Congress leader and former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot on Saturday appealed all the people of the country to unite in support of those families affected by the floods in Assam and Bihar.

'I appeal to all Indians...'

"My thoughts & prayers with all those families affected by the Assam & Bihar floods. Over 68 lives lost & 3.6 million people affected in Assam alone," Pilot said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, flood-related incidents claimed three more lives in Assam, where the deluge has hit 27.64 lakh people in 26 of the 33 districts and destroyed houses, crops, roads and bridges at several places. Two persons died in Barpeta and one person in South Salmara district, taking the death toll to 105, including 26 in landslides, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said in its daily flood report, on Saturday. Ninety animals have died in Kaziranga National Park this monsoon season, it said.

The political situation in Rajasthan remains grim where the ruling Congress has accused the BJP of horse-trading in an attempt to topple the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot government. BJP, on the other hand, has raised questions over tapping of phones in Rajasthan saying that authorities have denied giving permission and asked if it was not a violation of civil rights of people to tap phones without authorisation. It also said that if Chief Minister Gehlot thinks he has a majority, he should prove it in the Assembly.

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Rajasthan battle

The final straw for Pilot's rebellion came when  Rajasthan's Special Operations Group (SOG) issued notice to Pilot in connection with the alleged involvement of BJP leaders for toppling the state government - with BJP members hinting that Pilot was reportedly in touch with the BJP camp to become the CM. In response, Pilot and 18 MLAs arrived in Delhi, reducing the Congress' numbers from 107 to 88.

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While Pilot maintained that the will not be joining BJP, the Congress has sacked him as Deputy CM, state party chief, and 2 cabinet ministers, issuing all 19 MLAs disqualification notice by Speaker. Pilot has challenged this in Rajasthan High Court and it has been stayed till Tuesday, while the hearing is scheduled on Monday. After formally receiving the support of 2 BTP MLAs, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot called upon Governor Kalraj Mishra to submit a list of MLAs supporting his government.

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(With agency inputs)