Rajasthan crisis: Vasundhara Raje breaks silence, calls out 'unfortunate' turmoil in Cong

In her first public response to the bickering political crisis in Rajasthan due to schism between CM Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, former CM and senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje said the people are paying for the discord within the Congress amid the raging Coronavirus pandemic and the locust infestation in the state.

Raje posted a statement on her official Twitter account on Saturday that stated: "It is unfortunate that the people of Rajasthan are paying for the discord within the Congress. At a time when COVID-19 has killed has claimed more than 500 lives and positive cases are close to 25,000... At a time when locusts are attacking the farmers' fields... At a time when crime against women is at an all-time high... At a time when there is a problem with electricity across the state... And I am only naming a few of the problems being faced by the people."

Amid charges leveled by Congress of alleged horse-trading attempt by the BJP, Raje distanced her party saying there is no point in dragging their 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!!!!!"

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Crisis 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 Chief Minister 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 as 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 former 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 so far not reacted to such claims and has been notably absent from facing the press throughout the political crisis. 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. 

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