'Whip of help for BJP': Priyanka Gandhi fumes over BSP's intervention in Rajasthan crisis

On Tuesday, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lashed out at BSP supremo Mayawati for extending a "whip of assistance" to BJP in Rajasthan. The BSP had issued a whip to its 6 MLAs, who had officially joined Congress in 2019, to vote against the latter in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. The support of the aforesaid legislators is believed to be crucial for the survival of the Ashok Gehlot-led government in a trust vote scenario. Describing Mayawati as an "undeclared spokesperson" of BJP, Vadra contended that this was not a whip but a clean chit to the murderers of democracy and the Constitution. 

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Mayawati slams Ashok Gehlot's 'malicious intent' 

Addressing the media earlier in the day, former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati lamented that the Rajasthan CM had acted with a "malicious intent" despite BSP's unconditional support to the Congress government after the 2018 Assembly polls. She recalled that Gehlot had facilitated the entry of BSP MLAs into Congress during his previous tenure as the CM as well. The BSP chief warned that the 6 MLAs could be disqualified for violating the whip to vote against the Congress party. According to her, the BSP had been cheated by Congress on multiple occasions. Moreover, she contended that Gehlot and Congress shall be responsible if the Rajasthan government is reduced to a minority. 

BSP supremo Mayawati remarked, "After the Assembly polls, 6 BSP MLAs had extended unconditional support to the Congress party. But the sad part is that CM Ashok Gehlot committed the unconstitutional act of merging all 6 BSP MLAs into Congress with malicious intent and an attempt to damage BSP. He had committed the same wrongdoing in his previous tenure as CM. Because Congress' move is completely against the tenth schedule of the Constitution, BSP issued a whip on July 26 to these 6 MLAs that they will vote against the Congress in the Rajasthan Assembly. Otherwise, the disqualification proceedings shall be initiated against them. BSP has taken this decision as our party has been repeatedly cheated by Congress. If his government doesn't last, the entire blame will be that of Congress and CM Gehlot."

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