Rajasthan Crisis: The High Court has asked for a reply by August 11 (File)
The Rajasthan Speaker and six former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs who merged into the Congress have been issued notice by the High Court on petitions by the BSP and BJP.
The High Court has asked for a reply by August 11.
A decision on the six MLAs may be key to the survival of the Congress government of Ashok Gehlot, which is battling a revolt by sacked Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has a narrow lead in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly, just one ahead of the majority mark of 101. His push for an assembly session - the Governor last night approved a session from August 14 - is seen to be spurred by the strong belief that he is well-positioned to win a trust vote at this point.
The six MLAs who merged the Rajasthan BSP into the Congress in September helped the Chief Minister raise his tally since the party won 100 seats in the 2018 state election. Without these MLAs and minus at least 19 Congress rebels, the Gehlot government may plunge into a minority. The BJP has 72 MLAs and needs 30 more to topple the Congress government.
BJP leader Madan Dilawar has petitioned the Rajasthan High Court against the merger; he dropped an earlier case on the court's advice and filed a fresh petition. The BSP has asked to be made a part of the same. The petitions argue that the MLAs cannot legally merge into the Congress in just one state since the BSP is a national party.
BSP chief Mayawati said she could have gone to the court earlier but she was waiting for the right time to "teach the Congress and Ashok Gehlot a lesson" for the "theft of MLAs".
"BSP could have gone to the court earlier too but we were looking for a time to teach the Congress party and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot a lesson. Now we have decided to go to the Court. We will not let this matter alone. We will go even to the Supreme Court," Mayawati said.
The BSP's petition indicates Mayawati is willing to join forces with the BJP if it means getting back at the Congress.