Ashok Gehlot claims the support of 102 MLAs in the 200-member assembly. (File)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, during a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party, told MLAs that he was ready to go as high as the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the President of India to ensure that the "BJP conspiracy will not be allowed to succeed". The meeting took place shortly before a cabinet meeting, which is scheduled for 4 PM, and a meeting between the Chief Minister and Governor Kalraj Mishra, at which Mr Gehlot is expected to present a fresh request to convene an Assembly session on Monday.
Governor Kalraj Mishra has not called the session despite requests from Mr Gehlot. On Friday, Mr Gehlot and over 100 MLAs supporting him protested for more than four hours at the Governor house, accusing him of sitting on the request of calling an assembly session because he was "under pressure" to stall a test of strength.
The governor, however, said he needed the state government's response on few points before making any announcement, claiming that Mr Gehlot had not given any "justification" or "agenda" for calling the session on such a short notice.
Ashok Gehlot, 69, is going all out for a test of strength after Sachin Pilot and other Congress rebels threatening his government scored a reprieve from the Rajasthan High Court on Friday.
The Congress has a narrow lead over the opposition and is only one past the majority mark of 101 in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly. Team Pilot claims the support of 30 MLAs, but so far, the evidence points to only 19. The BJP has 72. Including smaller parties and independent members, the opposition has 97 at the moment.
Here are the Highlights on Rajasthan Political Crisis:
Rajasthan Chief Minister should resign for using threatening language: BJP
The warning that "8 crore people will gherao the Raj Bhavan" given by the Chief Minister and Home Minister of the state can invite punishment under Section 124 of the IPC, says BJP state president Satish Punia after the party delegation met the Rajasthan Governor.
"The Chief Minister is the head of the state and he said he'll not be responsible for a breach in law and order situation. If not him, then who will be responsible? He should tender his resignation for using such language," says Gulab Chand Kataria.
BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore says: "What the Congress government did at Governor House was a low-point in Rajasthan politics. There is no governance, those in power are lodged at a five-star hotel since weeks. People are suffering due to various issues."
Congress is doing drama in Rajasthan: BJP
It is the governor's decision to call an Assembly session... the Congress is trying to malign the office of the Governnor, says Rajatshan BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria.
"The Congress is doing drama in Rajasthan. They are trying to force the governor into taking a decision," he adds.Congress is doing drama in Rajasthan: BJP
It is the governor's decision to call an Assembly session... the Congress is trying to malign the office of the Governnor, says Rajatshan BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria.
"The Congress is doing drama in Rajasthan. They are trying to force the governor into taking a decision," he adds.
"First his name appeared in the tapes and now even in this case, Gajendra Singh ji's name is increasingly appearing, so why has the government not taken any action and dismissed him, this is a matter of concern," tweets Ashok Gehlot.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will likely meet Governor Kalraj Mishra at 4 PM in a fresh bid to request him to convene an Assembly session on Monday.
Ashok Gehlot believes he has the numbers to retain power if he faces a trust vote now. If he does win, there cannot be any vote for the next six months.The rules say the rebels must follow the party whip in the assembly or risk being disqualified. Despite the court-ordered status quo, the rebels can be disqualified if they vote against their own party. But their vote will still count.
Congress has narrow lead over the opposition in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly
The Congress has a narrow lead over the opposition and is only one past the majority mark of 101 in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly. Team Pilot claims the support of 30 MLAs, but so far, the evidence points to only 19. The BJP has 72. Including smaller parties and independent members, the opposition has 97 at the moment.
Congress workers stage demonstrations across Rajasthan against BJP
Congress workers are staged demonstrations at several places in Rajasthan against the BJP, accusing it of "conspiring" to topple the Ashok Gehlot government.
The Congress had on Friday given the call for demonstrations in all district headquarters against the "conspiracy to murder democracy" and to press the governor for convening an Assembly session.
The Congress government is pushing for a session of the Assembly so that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot can prove his majority on the floor of the House after the Rajasthan High Court on Friday ordered that status quo should be maintained on the disqualification notices sent out by the Speaker to rebel leader Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs.
Ashok Gehlot submitted a list of 102 MLAs to the Governor, who asked him to send a fresh request for a session. The Congress said it ended the protest following an assurance from the Governor that he will abide by Article 174 of the constitution, after getting the clarifications from the Chief Minister.
Rajasthan Crisis: Ashok Gehlot Cabinet To Meet At 12:30 PM, Rework Proposal To Governor For Assembly SessionRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called a meeting of the council of ministers this evening to rework the proposal for the state Governor requesting him to convene an assembly session. Mr Gehlot had chaired a cabinet meeting at his residence on Friday night, ending a long day of high drama which saw Mr Gehlot and the MLAs supporting him protesting for more than four hours at Governor Kalraj Mishra's house, accusing him of sitting on the request of calling an assembly session because he was "under pressure" to stall a test of strength. During the meeting that went on well past midnight, lasting for nearly two and half hours, the cabinet discussed the six points raised by the state Governor regarding calling as assembly session. The cabinet passed a proposal to call the assembly session, which will be sent to the Governor this morning. It was decided in the cabinet meeting that the agenda of the assembly session will be coronavirus and the economic crisis, sources said."
Union Minister
BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who is accused by the Congress of conspiring to topple the government, today hit out at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over the protest at the Governor's House on Friday.
"When the Governor himself is being threatened by the Chief Minister, it is useless for people in Rajasthan who are stricken by theft, robbery, rape, murder and violent clashes to appeal to the Chief Minister for their safety," he tweeted.
The Congress has accused Mr Shekhawat of conspiring to topple the government after an audio tape - in which he was allegedly heard talking to its MLAs - surfaced on social media.
The Union Minister denied talking to the Congress MLAs, saying the voice in the tape was not his. He said he is ready to face any probe into the allegation.
Ashok Gehlot calls meeting of council of ministers at 12:30 PM to rework proposal for Governor over calling assembly session
Ashok Gehot and over 100 Congress MLAs loyal to him on Friday held a five-hour sit-in at the Governor's House, Raj Bhawan, to press for an assembly session, in a dramatic show of strength hours after the Sachin Pilot Camp secured protection for now from disqualification from the house.
At late-night meet, Ashok Gehlot cabinet discusses Governor's 6 points
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot chaired a cabinet meeting at his residence on Friday night. During the meeting that went on well past midnight, lasting for nearly two and half hours, the cabinet discussed the six points raised by the state Governor regarding calling as assembly session.
The cabinet passed a proposal to call the assembly session, which will be sent to the Governor this morning. It was decided in the cabinet meeting that the agenda of the assembly session will be coronavirus and the economic crisis, sources said. (Read full story
here)
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