Amid the deepening political crisis in Rajasthan, state Congress in-charge Avinash Pande on Sunday (July 12) night said that a whip has been issued to all party MLAs to be mandatorily present at Congress Legislature Party meeting to be held on Monday (July 13) in Jaipur. Pande asserted that strict disciplinary action will be taken against any MLA who will fail to attend the meeting without mentioning personal/special reason.
Pande expressed confidence that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led government will survive as 109 MLAs have signed a letter expressing their trust and support to his government. Pande added that some more MLAs had telephonic conversation with CM Gehlot and they will also sign letter of support on Monday.
Pande made the statements hours after Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot revolted against CM Gehlot and claimed that he has the support of over 30 MLAs. Pilot also said that he will not attend the Legislature Party meeting on Monday at CM Gehlot's residence.
Speculations are rife that Pilot is miffed with CM Gehlot and he is likely to join BJP along with his loyalist MLAs. The Congress on Sunday sent Pande, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Ajay Maken to Jaipur to meet the MLAs and defuse the ongoing tension between Gehlot and Pilot.
A meeting was held at Gehlot's residence on Sunday and around 75 MLAs/ministers were present in the meeting. Later, Surjewala and Maken met with Gehlot to chalk out a strategy for Congress Legislative Party (CLP), sources were quoted as saying by ANI.
Meanwhile, Pande has accused BJP of trying to buy the MLAs and diverting attention of citizens from the present situation. "This conspiracy has been hatched by BJP & they have been trying this for one year. I can say that all Rajasthan Congress MLAs will work together and Congress government in Rajasthan will complete its five years of tenure," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Surjewala also echoed similar feelings and claimed that the BJP was trying to buy Congress legislators first in Madhya Pradesh and then in Rajasthan. He further claimed that the crisis is of a state but rather the entire democracy is in danger.
In a related development, Pilot arrived in Delhi on Sunday to meet with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi but she did not meet the young Congress leader. However, Pilot met with another party leaders to apprise them about the situation in Rajasthan and spelt out his grievances against CM Gehlot.
