Ashok Gehlot said he has spoken to PM Modi on the political situation in Rajasthan. (File)
The Rajasthan Congress government today sent, for the third time, its recommendation for an assembly session from July 31 to the Governor, who has blocked two previous requests. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met his cabinet earlier this morning to discuss Governor Kalraj Mishra's three conditions, which included a 21-day notice and a coronavirus plan for the house.
The revised proposal does not mention whether the state government wants a trust vote in the assembly session. It also asserts that the Ashok Gehlot government has a majority.
"We have a majority. We will prove it if we think it necessary," Rajasthan minister Harish Chaudhary told NDTV after the meeting.
On Monday, the Governor wrote to the Chief Minister that he was not against calling an assembly session. "The Raj Bhavan (Governor) gives the go ahead to call the Assembly session keeping in mind the suggestions made," he wrote, listing questions that needed to be dealt with.
He asked whether the Chief Minister wanted to bring a trust vote; if that is the case, a 21-day notice is not needed. "Do you want to bring a confidence motion? As it is not mentioned in the proposal but in public you (Mr Gehlot) are making statements that you want to bring a Confidence Motion," Mr Mishra had questioned.
Chief Minister Gehlot, facing a rebellion by his sacked deputy Sachin Pilot, believes he has the numbers to win a floor test in the assembly. The Chief Minister claims the support of 102 MLAs, just one past the majority mark of 101 in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly. "Three rebel MLAs are likely to come back in the next two days," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala claimed.
What could endanger the Gehlot government's thin lead is the status of six Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs who merged their party with the Congress last year. The BSP yesterday petitioned the court against the merger. It also asked to be made a party to a petition by a BJP MLA.
Here are the Highlights on Rajasthan Political Crisis:
Ashok Gehlot's Brother Summoned Tomorrow By Enforcement DirectorateRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's brother Agrasain Gehlot has been asked to join investigation in an alleged money laundering case linked to the fertiliser export scam that took place between 2007 and 2009. The Enforcement Directorate has summoned him for questioning tomorrow.
On July 22, the Enforcement Directorate had searched his properties in connection with the case. The Central probe agency had also conducted raids at 13 places spread across Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat and Delhi, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The Congress questioned the timing of the raids, which took place seven years after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence detected the alleged scam.
Mr Gehlot's government is facing a huge risis following the rebellion of his former deputy Sachin Pilot and 18 MLAs loyal to him. Mr Gehlot claims he has the numbers but is currently engaged in a tussle with Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra over starting the assembly session.
Rajasthan Congress In-Charge Attacks Governor Over Convening Of Assembly SessionRajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pande on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Governor Kalraj Mishra over the proposal of the convening Assembly session.
In a series of seven tweets (in Hindi), Pande attacked Mishra using the hashtag -- #GetWellSoonGovernor.
"Shri Kalraj Mishraji, identified as a skilled administrator and a mature leader who respects political integrity, sits in the dignified post of his excellency, the Rajasthan Governor. His image has always been that of an idealistic, religious leader. #GetWellSoonGovernor," Mr Pande said in a series of tweets.
In the second tweet, Mr Pande alleged that Mishra is violating constitutional rules.
"But in the context of the crisis that has arisen in Rajasthan, Shri Kalraj Mishra ji is adopting an approach to fulfill the interests of a particular party, which is the common violation of the rules mentioned in our Constitution. #GetWellSoonGovernor," he tweeted.
"From this, it seems that the democracy of India is no longer governed by the provisions of rules and laws, but it is left to a special party. It is invalid to sit in constitutional institutions and politicize a particular idea," he added.
Mr Pande further said that the Governor should give priority to the Rajasthan Cabinet's issues.
"The country is fighting against the coronavirus pandemic. Rajasthan lacks financial support from the Centre. Rainfall was not enough. The swarms of locusts have attacked nine times in a month. His excellency, the Governor should give priority to the Rajasthan Cabinet's issues and not to any particular party," he said.
Mr Pande alleged that the Governor is biased towards BJP.
"The political developments in Rajasthan are such that our Governor is also affected by the oppressive thinking of the BJP, and he does not seem healthy with his biased thinking," he said.
Mr Pande appealed the Governor to convene an immediate assembly session.
"My appeal is to wish the Governor to recover from the unilateral thinking of the transition so that he can give his consent to convene an immediate Assembly session to protect the Constitution and democracy in a fair manner, which protects the provisions contained in the Constitution.#GetWellSoonGovernor," he said in the tweet.
In the last tweet, he urged everyone to send opinions by using hashtag #GetWellSoonGovernor via social media.
"I appeal to all of you, please send your opinion on #GetWellSoonGovernor more and more from your social media. May righteousness prevails, and iniquity perish. Satyameva Jayate. #GetWellSoonGovernor," he tweeted.
Meanwhile, the state government has sent the proposal to Governor Mishra seeking to convene Assembly session from July 31.
Mr Mishra on Monday had said that Raj Bhavan never had an intention "not to call" the assembly session and has asked the Ashok Gehlot government to deliberate on three points including 21-day notice period for convening session and maintaining social distancing norms.
"Only Essential Items Sold In Lockdown, Like MLAs...": AAP Leader's DigAn Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's post on Twitter today was seen to be a dig at the Rajasthan government crisis, where allegations of MLAs being bribed have been flying between rival factions.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh's tweet listed MLAs among "essential commodities" that can be sold during the coronavirus lockdown.
"Everything will be shut in the lockdown but essential items will be sold, like - alcohol, MLAs, trains, airports, banks and government assets," Mr Singh tweeted in Hindi.
The post appears to allude to recent stake sale decisions by the central government and allegations of "horse-trading" that have emerged from states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in the middle of the nation's fight against coronavirus.
Round 3: Ashok Gehlot's Fresh Proposal To Governor On Assembly Session
"Looking To Teach Ashok Gehlot Lesson": Mayawati Amid Rajasthan FightRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will "be taught a lesson" for "theft of MLAs", warned Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati today, declaring she would go all the way to the Supreme Court to fight six MLAs of her party joining the Congress last year.
Ashok Gehlot has a very thin lead in the assembly after a revolt by his sacked deputy Sachin Pilot. He is just one ahead of the majority mark of 101 in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly. Six MLAs who merged the Rajasthan BSP into the Congress in September helped him secure his tally.
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 today. The BSP has also approached the court and asked to be made a part of the BJP leader's petition. The petitions argue that the MLAs cannot legally merge into the Congress in just one state since the BSP is a national party.
"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.
It's our right to call Assembly session: Rajasthan minister
"We have formulated replies to the Governor's concerns. It is our right to call the assembly. How the session will be held, is the Speaker's prerogative. We want the session on July 31," Rajasthan minister Harish chaudhary tells NDTV after the meeting.
Cabinet meet gets over
Rajasthan cabinet meet, called by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, gets over. The meeting went on for over two hours amid a political crisis in the state.
Ashok Gehlot holds cabinet meeting
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is holding a cabinet meeting today in Jaipur, a day after Governor Kalraj Mishra sent back his request, with queries, for an assembly session.
Congress Legislature Party's memorandum to President
The Congress Legislature Party has sent a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking his intervention to facilitate an assembly session in the state.
They claimed in the memorandum to President Kovind that the horse-trading of MLAs was on in Rajasthan to topple an elected government.
Governors of many states are "defying" the Constitution at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre without worrying about the dignity of their posts, they alleged in the memorandum.