Published 20:25 IST, July 22nd 2020
In letter to PM, CM Gehlot flays BJP's 'attempt' to topple govt & insult people's mandate
On Wednesday, July 22, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot brought to PM Modi's attention the attempt to topple the democratically elected government in the state.
On Wednesday, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot brought to PM Modi's attention the attempt to topple the democratically elected government in the state. In a letter addressed to the PM, he claimed that Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, other BJP leaders, and some over-ambitious Congress leaders were involved in this conspiracy. He pointed out that many state governments were being destabilised violating the spirit of the anti-defection law passed by the Rajiv Gandhi-led government, which was later made more stringent during Atal Bihar Vajpayee's tenure as the PM.
While acknowledging that PM Modi might not be aware of or is being misled about the plot to oust the Rajasthan government, Gehlot warned that history will never forgive anyone who is a party to such an act. Thereafter, he exuded confidence that truth, democratic traditions, and constitutional principles will win. He stressed that the Congress government would complete its full term, rendering good governance to the people.
Gehlot recalls a previous attempt to topple the government
Gehlot lamented that such a conspiracy was unraveling at a juncture when the priority was to save lives in the fight against the COVID-19 crisis. He also reminded the PM that such allegations were also leveled at BJP when the Kamal Nath-led Congress government was toppled in Madhya Pradesh in March at the advent of the novel coronavirus crisis. To illustrate the Congress party's position on horsetrading, he recalled that senior leader Bhanwar Lal Sharma had tried to dislodge the BJP government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the past.
The Rajasthan CM added that some legislators had been bribed as well. According to Gehlot, he personally met the Governor and the then PM PV Narasimha Rao after learning about this plot and opposed toppling the democratically elected government via horse-trading. He contended that such a conspiracy was akin to cheating the people.
Cracks widen 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.
After a two-judge bench of the Rajasthan HC reserved the order on the plea of Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs challenging the Assembly Speaker's disqualification notice till July 24, the latter approached the SC. Following this, the Pilot camp filed a caveat petition in the apex court. They urged the court that no order should be passed without hearing their side.
Updated 20:25 IST, July 22nd 2020