A late night cabinet meeting in Rajasthan at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence has concluded. In the meeting, an approval has been given for the proposal to call the assembly session. The proposal will be sent to the Rajasthan governor again.
Earlier in the day, Ashok Gehlot said he had requested an assembly session from Monday and accused Governor Kalraj Mishra of delaying his decision because he was "under pressure from the top" to stall a test of strength. "We requested him to call a session in a letter yesterday and we waited all night, but there was no response. It is beyond comprehension what kind of forces would compel him to delay such a simple process," the Chief Minister said, alleging a BJP conspiracy.
To build pressure, the Chief Minister and around 100 Congress MLAs drove to the Governor's House in buses for a show of strength. "Gehlot keep fighting, we are with you. Call a session," the MLAs chanted as they waited for the Governor inside the Raj Bhawan.
"We have a clear majority and we want the assembly to start from Monday. Doodh ka doodh aur pani ka pani ho jayega (everything will be crystal clear)," Mr Gehlot told the media before heading to the Governor's house.
The Rajasthan High Court has said that no action can be taken against Sachin Pilot and other rebel Congress leaders for now, giving a major reprieve for the rebel leaders in the disqualification case. The court said there will be "status quo" until its decision on the rebels' petition against disqualification notices.
The verdict, which was expected today, has been delayed after the court accepted team Pilot's eleventh-hour request to add the centre to the case so it can weigh in on whether the anti-defection law applies to them.
The rebels have argued in court that such notices cannot be served by a Speaker when the assembly is not in session. They have challenged a rule that allows the Speaker to disqualify members if they have "voluntarily given up the party's membership". They say they do not intend to quit the Congress; they only want a change in the leadership.
The Speaker had attempted to get the High Court verdict blocked in the Supreme Court, but the top court refused to intervene, saying it would take up the case again on Monday. But the High Court ruling will be subject to the final order of the Supreme Court.
Here are the highlights on Rajasthan Political Crisis:
Rahul Gandhi: Rajasthan Governor Must Call Assembly Session, BJP Conspiracy ClearThe Rajasthan Governor must call an assembly session to let the Congress prove its majority, party leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said, alleging that the BJP's conspiracy to topple the Ashok Gehlot government was now clear."
- The issue could have been easily sorted last evening. What is the reason that it is not done? Even in today's meeting I have requested that it be allowed (assembly session).
- The state cabinet has decided to call for an assembly session. The governor must accept this - that is the norm.
- We are all here, waiting, hoping that it be done soonest.
- Our colleagues have been kept captive in a resort in Haryana. There is no way to get in touch with them. No one can approach them.
- We follow Mahatma Gandhi ji and his teachings, and hence we will sit here peacefully, in hope that the assembly sessin be called soonest.
- The governor - Kalraj Mishra ji is a respected person. Both government and opposition respects him... Kalraj Mishra ji is respected both in Rajasthan and in Delhi... we hope he will make the right decision soon.
- There is no question on him coming under any pressure. As we all know that the governor is a constitutional post and there can be no pressure on the governor.
- This is all a BJP conspiracy and in the end we will see that the truth alone will triumph.
- Another thing that I want to point out is that in such a situation, it is usually the opposition that insists for a trust vote to prove numbers in the house, but here it is unique, the government of the day themselves are calling for a trust vote to prove their numbers.
Kapil Sibal To Sachin Pilot: You Can't Make The Party A Public TamashaYou can't be Chief Minister of a state with the support of just 20-25 legislators, Congress leader Kapil Sibal told party rebel Sachin Pilot through a news conference on Friday, hours after the sacked Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister scored a temporary reprieve at the high court. "You can't make party a tamasha (grand show) before the public," Mr Sibal said.
Raising voice of dissent and asking for the chief minister to be removed does not amount to leaving the party, senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi said on Sachin Pilot's revolt. Read more here
Rajasthan Political Crisis: 5 Big Issues Rajasthan Verdict On Sachin Pilot Will AddressIn his case against his own party, Sachin Pilot has sought to nullify attempts to disqualify him and 18 other MLAs from the legislature. The Rajasthan High Court today banned any action against him for now. It has not indicated when it will hear the matter. Mr Pilot's party, the Congress, has already asked the Supreme Court to consider its petition - that no court can intervene before the Speaker of the House has taken the decision. In this case, the Congress argues, the Speaker has not yet decided whether he will move to disqualify Team Pilot. He has only asked them to explain why they disobeyed party orders to attend meetings chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who was Mr Pilot's boss till recently.
Ashok Gehlot's MLAs, Waiting To Meet Governor, Shout SlogansWatch | Rajasthan Congress MLAs, waiting to meet Governor at Raj Bhawan, shout slogans of "House bulaao (call assembly session)".#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/Pw2XJNH4a3
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
Watch | "We will do everything possible, public has given mandate to Ashok Gehlot government... we are not scared": Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas outside Raj Bhawan#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/zW1v7ykofT
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
#JustIn | Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot meets Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur.#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/P006GfqUkk
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
Watch | If media reports are true about the Governor saying that state Assembly session cannot be conducted due to #COVID19, then we are ready to test all the 200 MLAs: Raghu Sharma, Rajasthan Health Minister #RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/L8ywNHLvbL
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
Ashok Gehlot meets Congress MLAs at Jaipur's Fairmont Hotel ahead of meeting with Rajasthan Governor. #RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/Iah4u6lo3g
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
Watch | "Surprising that a senior leader can lose balance over fear of losing power": Rajasthan BJP President Satish Poonia attacks Ashok Gehlot #RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/NoG510CbTt
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
Watch | "We are the ones who are running the government, why are they worried? We want Assembly session to be convened": Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot #RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/oQyTh2SfPt
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
- Ready to call assembly session.
- We have a clear majority.
- Assembly session will make things clear.
- Some MLAs are being held against their wish.
- BJP wants to topple our government.
Rajasthan High Court has made Centre a party in the case against Congress, in the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and MLAs against disqualification notice. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) will represent Centre in the court: Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Speaker CP Joshi pic.twitter.com/ev40k7HGTJ
- ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2020
Watch | Might have won the battle, but not the war: Rajasthan Speaker's lawyer after High Court says no action against Team Pilot for now#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/CulxMQXIa3
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 24, 2020
Vishvendra Singh, who is part of the rebel camp supporting former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, tweeted shortly after the court ordered that no action can be taken against the rebel camp.
Stay granted ! Jai Veer Tejaji ! Jai Maharaj Suraj Mal!
- Vishvendra Singh Bharatpur (@vishvendrabtp) July 24, 2020
Rajasthan Crisis: Can Team Sachin Pilot Be Disqualified? High Court Verdict At 10:30 AM Today: 10 Points
