Sachin Pilot – who claims the support of 30 deputies – refused to attend a key meeting of congressional deputies.
Strong points
- Congress claimed it had the support of 109 deputies to support the state government
- Sachin Pilot claims support from 30 MPs, refused to attend key meeting
- 42-year-old man in Delhi with loyalists
Jaipur:
After a one-day crisis in Rajasthan that was allegedly triggered by Deputy Prime Minister Sachin Pilot, who is camping in Delhi, the ruling Congress – during a briefing at 2:30 a.m. – claimed that he had the support of 109 deputies to support the state. government led by chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
“A total of 109 deputies signed a letter expressing confidence and support for the government of Rajasthan led by chief minister Ashok Gehlot and the leadership of Sonia Gandhi –ji and Rahul Gandhiji“Said Rajasthan congress official Avinash Pande at the press conference after midnight after a meeting of the legislative party at Ashok Gehlot’s residence in Jaipur.” A few other MPs have had telephone conversations with the chief minister and they will also sign a letter of support until morning, “he said.
The party leader also said that the Congress delegation had visited Jaipur on the instructions of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. The late evening press conference in Jaipur was organized by Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Maken and Avinash Pande.
While Sachin Pilot – who claims the support of 30 MPs – refused to attend a key congressional MP meeting called by Chief Minister Gehlot at 10:30 a.m. today, Congress whipped MPs to attend the meeting.
Sources say Mr. Pilot is scheduled to meet with BJP chief JP Nadda today. The 42-year-old man, who is in Delhi with loyalists, has yet to meet with the Gandhis.
The Congress holds 107 seats in the Rajasthan assembly, which is 200 people strong, and has the support of 12 independent candidates. In addition, five MLAS from other parties – the Rashtriya Lok Dal, the CPM and the Bharatiya Tribal Party – support Mr. Gehlot, who said on Saturday that the BJP offered up to Rs 15 crore to deputies to change sides.
On Sunday evening, the Congress paraded in front of the media the three deputies who were in Delhi on Saturday and were known as loyalists to Mr. Pilot. All three said they supported the Ashok Gehlot government. One of them, Rohit Bohra, had previously told GalacticGaming that his visit to Delhi was “personal” and the other two deputies also had their own errands.
The tipping point for Sachin Pilot came after he was summoned for questioning in an investigation into an alleged attempt to destabilize the state government before the Rajya Sabha elections. “No one wants to leave their home, but they cannot continue to endure this kind of humiliation. My MPs and supporters are extremely hurt and I will have to listen to them,” he told me earlier on the phone. in the evening, “Senior journalist and political analyst Javed Ansari wrote in his blog on Sunday.
(With entries from ANI)
