New Delhi:
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday launched a violent attack on Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, whose MPs – huddled in a hotel since last week to prevent possible offers from the rival camp in the amid a lingering political crisis in the state – reportedly watched Bollywood movies. and play board games.
“It’s my humble request to Mr. Gehlot, don’t just watch movies in the hotel, also watch religious sermons and meditate on state affairs,” he tweeted in Hindi.
As Mr. Gehlot grapples with a revolt by his former MP, Sachin Pilot, and at least 18 party MPs – who camped in a hotel in Haryana – the more than 100 MPs loyal to the chief minister have turned out relaxed in a Jaipur resort.
गहलोत जी से अनुरोध है कि होटल में सिर्फ फिल्में नहीं देखें अच्छे धार्मिक उपदेश सुनें और राज्य की चिंता करें!#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis
– Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) July 23, 2020
It was widely reported earlier this week that MPs participated in activities like yoga, cooking classes and watching movies together. They would have looked at Lagaan, Amir Khan’s starter. Some members of Team Gehlot played “Housie” – a board game whose main objective is to mark the numbers that were called to accomplish a winning pattern in the “house”.
Congress accused Mr. Shekhawat of conspiring to overthrow the government after an audio tape – in which he was reportedly heard speaking to his MPs – surfaced on social media. The party then suspended its two lawmakers – Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh.
The Union minister denied speaking to congressmen, saying the voice in the gang was not his. He said he was ready to face any investigation into the allegation.
In a counterattack, the BJP accused the Congressional government of illegal wiretapping and asked them to reveal the source of the audio.
An investigative team visited the two resorts in Haryana where the rebel MPs are said to have stayed to take the voice sample of Mr. Sharma. However, they returned home empty-handed as the BJP government in Haryana sent around 50 police officers to prevent them from entering the hotel, located in Manesar; MPs were not on the premises when police from Rajasthan finally managed to enter.
The team then proceeded to another resort but returned after waiting 20 minutes.
Mr Gehlot said on Thursday the assembly session would be called “soon” and said he was confident he had a majority, a day before a crucial verdict on a petition by Sachin Pilot and other rebels of Congress who threaten his government.
The High Court of Rajasthan will deliver its verdict at 10:30 am tomorrow on the pilot team’s petition challenging the disqualification notices served on them by the President after skipping two meetings called by Mr. Gehlot last week.
