Rajasthan: Vasundhara Raje rebuts claim of 'saving' Gehlot govt; affirms loyalty to BJP

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje has rubbished reports and claims that she has covertly rendered support to the embattled Ashok Gehlot government saying she remains loyal to her party and some are trying to "spread confusion" without any facts.

"Some people are constantly trying to spread confusion without any facts on the political developments in Rajasthan. I have been serving the public as a loyal worker of the party for the last three decades and stand with the party and its ideology," the 67-year-old two-time Rajasthan CM wrote in Hindi on Twitter.

The statement comes just hours after Raje broke her silence on the weeks-long turmoil in Rajasthan following infighting in the ruling Congress party after CM Ashok Gehlot sacked his deputy Sachin Pilot and his loyal legislators on alleged attempts to topple him with BJP's aid. Raje said the people are paying for the discord within the Congress amid the raging Coronavirus pandemic and the locust infestation in the state.

The Jhalrapatan MLA has also distanced the BJP from Congress' allegation of horse-trading saying there is no point in dragging BJP leaders' names through the mud. "There is no point in trying to drag the BJP and BJP leaders names through the mud! It is the interest of the people that must remain paramount! Think about the people!!!!!" she said.

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Turmoil in Rajasthan

Rajasthan Congress continues to remain in turmoil after differences between Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was sacked from the posts of Rajasthan Deputy CM and state PCC president on July 14. Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs. Both factions are now facing off in the Rajasthan High Court where Pilot has challenged his disqualification as a legislator by the Assembly Speaker.

The crisis took an interesting turn on Thursday after a BJP ally from Rajasthan alleged that Vasundhara Raje has been trying to "save" the Ashok Gehlot government in the state. "Former CM Vasundhara Raje has been trying her best to save the Ashok Gehlot government, which is in a minority. Many MLAs of the Congress were called up by her in this regard," Hanuman Beniwal, a Lok Sabha MP, claimed in a tweet.

Raje has been notably absent from facing the press throughout the political turmoil. On the other hand, the BJP's face amid the crisis is Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat who has been accused by Congress of being involved in horse-trading of Rajasthan MLAs, which he has strongly rebuffed.

(PTI Photo)

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