Former Rajasthani Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot is leading a revolt against Ashok Gehlot (File)
Jaipur:
Sachin Pilot, whose open revolt in Rajasthan left Ashok Gehlot’s government on the verge of collapse, on Tuesday notified Congressman Giriraj Singh Malinga of allegations that the sacked deputy chief minister offered him a money to join the BJP.
Sources close to Mr Pilot confirmed that the notice was served – for false and malicious statements made by Mr Malinga to the press a day earlier.
On Monday, Mr Malinga told reporters in Jaipur: “I had a chat with Sachin Pilot. He spoke to me and told me how much you want. He told me Rs 35 crore”.
“This has been happening since December, it’s nothing new. I told them I couldn’t do this,” he said, adding that he had spoken to Mr. Pilot “two or three times” .
Mr Pilot, who is challenging his disqualification from the Rajasthan Assembly in the High Court, dismissed the allegation as “baseless and vexatious” and said he would take “the strictest possible legal action”.
“I am saddened but not surprised to be the target of such baseless and vexatious allegations that have been made against me. I am sure more concocted allegations will be thrown at me to undermine my public image. But I will be free and stand firm in my convictions, ”he said.
The 42-year-old political leader, who was also removed from his post as head of the Rajasthan congressional unit, also suggested that Mr Malinga had been “forced” to make such allegations in order to cover up “concerns legitimate “raised against the leaders of the state.
Giriraj Singh Malinga is not the first congressional leader of Rajasthan to accuse Sachin Pilot of conspiring to bribe MPs on behalf of the BJP.
Chief Minister Gehlot has repeatedly torn his former deputy apart since the start of this crisis, using words like “Nikamma“and”nakaara“- variants of” worthless “- to describe it.
“He had been conspiring for six months with the support of the BJP. No one believed me when I said that a plot was underway to overthrow the government. No one knew that a person with such an innocent face would do such a thing,” said M. Said Gehlot.
Last week, the chief minister said, “The former head of the CCP was involved in relations with the BJP. I have proof of horse trading.”
Mr. Pilot has repeatedly denied such allegations.
The feud between Team Gehlot and Team Pilot, never far from the surface, exploded after Mr Pilot was given a notice to answer questions about alleged attempts to destabilize the state government by bribing MPs to they join the BJP.
Mr. Pilot and his loyal members of Parliament received a disqualification notice which they quickly took to court. They will find out on Friday whether they can, in fact, be disqualified.
