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:
"Only Essential Items Sold In Lockdown, Like MLAs...": AAP Leader's DigRound 3: #AshokGehlot's fresh proposal to Governor on Assembly Session https://t.co/PuR0BYAtin#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/7PCTuIe4mZ
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 28, 2020
"Looking To Teach Ashok Gehlot Lesson": Mayawati Amid Rajasthan Fight
Rajasthan Political Crisis Live Updates: Spoke To PM Modi About Governor's Conduct, Ashok Gehlot Tells MLAsRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a second time, informing him about the conduct of Governor Kalraj Mishra."
