Rajasthan Political Crisis: Ashok Gehlot on Saturday met Governor Kalraj Mishra.
In a latest development in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday met Governor Kalraj Mishra, hours after two MLAs of a regional party that withdrew support from the Congress government announced that they will back the administration.
"Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday evening met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in his official residence. It was a courtesy meeting. Mr Gehlot informed the Governor about the measures taken by the state government against the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting lasted 45 minutes," the Governor's office said in a Hindi statement.
Mr Pilot and Mr Gehlot have always had differences but the matter boiled after the former deputy chief minister was served a notice to join probe linked to the alleged conspiracy to topple the Rajasthan government.
Mr Pilot soon went incommunicado -the Congress had alleged - along with a number of MLAs, endangering Mr Gehlot's government. His team had later claimed he has the support of 30 MLAs - enough to topple the government.
Mr Gehlot, however, says he has 109 MLAs- much more than the majority mark. On Saturday, he said two MLAs of a regional party - BTP - that earlier withdrew support from the Congress announced that they will back the administration.
Here are the Live Updates on Rajasthan Political Crisis:
"PM At 45 By Joining BJP...": Congress Leader's Swipe At Sachin PilotTaking a dig at Sachin Pilot over his rebellion in Rajasthan, veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva on Sunday asked why the former deputy chief minister was in such a "hurry" and whether he was "aspiring" to become the prime minister by 45 years of age by joining the BJP.
The former Union Minister also lashed out at Mr Pilot over the timing of his rebellion and said when the entire country is fighting COVID-19 and China in the wake of the border standoff, he is seeking appointment as Rajasthan chief minister. Read more
here BREAKING: Rajasthan Police team reaches resort in Haryana where rebel Congress MLAs backing Sachin Pilot are staying
Congress's Plan B In Rajasthan If Court Favours Sachin PilotThe Congress has decided on an alternative if Sachin Pilot and his rebel MLAs get a reprieve from disqualification from the Rajasthan High Court. The hearing in the case will resume on Monday.
Contending that they have not indulged in any anti-party activity, the Sachin Pilot camp had taken the Congress in court last week.
Sources in the Congress's legal team said the party is planning to convene assembly as the next step, if the court favours Mr Pilot's team.
In the assembly, the Chief Minister will prove his numbers, which the Congress claims are above the majority mark. Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi, who is also a respondent in the case, will issue a whip to all Congress MLAs to vote in favour of the party.
Read Lagaan, Singalongs And Yoga Sessions: Resort Life For Team GehlotFrom Kishore Kumar's 'Aa chal ke tujhe main leke chaloon' to 'Hum Honge Kamyab Ek Din', Rajasthan Congress MLAs appear to be sending a message across to the rebel camp with some unabashed singing as they unwind at a luxury hotel in Jaipur. The lawmakers are spending the weekend at the hotel ahead of a likely storm on Tuesday when a crucial court hearing will decide whether rebel leader Sachin Pilot and 18 Congress MLAs can be disqualified by the Speaker.
On Saturday, the MLAs wrapped up the day by watching actor Aamir Khan's blockbuster movie Lagaan. The 1960 epic hit "Mughal-e-Azam" was screened for the MLAs on Friday evening. In the morning they were seen doing activities like yoga and cooking classes.
Read Rajasthan Floor Test Next Week? Buzz After Ashok Gehlot Meets GovernorRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is likely to call an assembly session next week to showcase his strength in the House, sources told NDTV.
Mr Gehlot on Saturday met Governor Kalraj Mishra, hours after two MLAs of a regional party that withdrew support from the Congress government announced that they will back the administration. Though the Chief Minister called it courtesy meeting, sources suggest that he indicated to the Governor that he would like to call an assembly session next week.
The Congress, sources added, will take a call on the matter only after Tuesday, after the Rajasthan High Court takes a call on a petition filed by the Sachin Pilot camp on a disqualification notice sent by the Speaker.
The rebel camp had claimed that Sachin Pilot had 30 MLAs who were willing to walk with him if needed from the government in Rajasthan - a number enough to bring down the government of Mr Gehlot. But Mr Gehlot says he has 109 MLAs loyal to him.
Read "No Way": Team Pilot MLA Denies Heading To Bengaluru, Location UnknownAs mystery deepens on the whereabouts of the 18 Congress legislators from Rajasthan, who have sided with Sachin Pilot in his open revolt against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, a rebel MLA has told NDTV that they are not headed to BJP-ruled Karnataka, as speculated throughout the evening.
"No way," a senior legislator from Team Pilot told NDTV when asked if they are going to Karnataka, in a replay of the Madhya Pradesh coup. He, however, was not willing to reveal the current location of the MLAs.
These rebels have been missing since Friday evening, when a team of Rajasthan Police's Special Operations Group (SOG) went to one of the resorts they were camping in, in Manesar in BJP-ruled Haryana near Delhi.
Read Ashok Gehlot To Call Assembly Session Next Week, Say Sources
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in his Saturday meeting with Governor Kalraj Mishra indicated that he is likely to call an Assembly session next week, sources told NDTV.
Eight-Member Team Constituted To Probe Rajasthan Horse-Trading CaseAn eight-member team, headed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikas Sharma of Criminal Investigation Department - Crime Branch, Jaipur, has been constituted to investigate the matter related to Rajasthan political crisis registered by the Special Operations Group (SOG).
On Friday, two FIRs were registered by the SOG based on the complaint filed by Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi about audiotapes, which Congress alleged, had conversations about an alleged conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot-led government.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Jain, who was among persons accused by Congress in alleged horse-trading in Rajasthan and linked by it to purported audio-tapes, was on Saturday sent to four-day remand of the SOG by a Jaipur court here.
Read Ashok Gehlot Meets Governor After 2 Regional Party MLAs Extend SupportRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday met Governor Kalraj Mishra, hours after two MLAs of a regional party that withdrew support from the Congress government announced that they will back the administration.
"Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday evening met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in his official residence. It was a courtesy meeting. Mr Gehlot informed the Governor about the measures taken by the state government against the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting lasted 45 minutes," the Governor's office said in a Hindi statement.
Earlier, Mr Gehlot tweeted that the BTP MLAs have announced their support.
"Both MLAs of the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) announced their support to the government after meeting their state executive officials and discussing with their demands," Mr Gehlot tweeted in Hindi.
Ashok Gehlot Meets Governor After 2 Regional Party MLAs Extend SupportRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday met Governor Kalraj Mishra, hours after two MLAs of a regional party that withdrew support from the Congress government announced that they will back the administration.
"Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday evening met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in his official residence. It was a courtesy meeting. Mr Gehlot informed the Governor about the measures taken by the state government against the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting lasted 45 minutes," the Governor's office said in a Hindi statement.
Earlier, Mr Gehlot tweeted that the BTP MLAs have announced their support.
"Both MLAs of the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) announced their support to the government after meeting their state executive officials and discussing with their demands," Mr Gehlot tweeted in Hindi.
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