The Congress is divided over pursuing the Rajasthan case legally in the Supreme Court, sources told NDTV a day before the court is expected to hear the matter. A section wants the Congress to pull its petition out of court and handle the matter politically. These leaders, sources said, feel the crisis should be dealt with politically. Others are keen to keep up the engagement in court.
Last week, after the rebel camp led by Sachin Pilot went to the Rajasthan High Court and it gave a temporary relief to him, the Congress had filed a petition in Supreme Court challenging the order. The top court will hear the issue tomorrow.
Mr Gehlot is pressing for an early assembly session, amid revolt from Sachin Pilot, who has the support of 18 MLAs. On Saturday, Mr Gehlot has said that he will meet the President and hold a sit-in outside the prime minister's residence to settle the crisis in the state.
At a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Mr Gehlot indicated that the plan was to have a floor test to prove that the majority of Congress MLAs and allies are with him in the tussle for power.
"He said the government has the majority and wants to go to the assembly floor," a statement issued by Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi after the CLP meeting said.
The CLP meeting was held at the hotel where the MLAs in the Gehlot camp are holed up for days.
"The chief minister asked us to remain prepared to stay longer at the hotel. If required, he said, we would go to meet the President and would also hold a dharna outside the prime minister's residence," a party leader said.
Here are the Highlights on Rajasthan Political Crisis:
We will hold a meeting tomorrow at 11 am at Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur, before launching our nationwide Online Campaign "Speak Up for Democracy". CM Ashok Gehlot and State Congress In-charge Avinash Pande will also be present in the meeting: Mahesh Joshi, Congress Chief Whip. pic.twitter.com/rAVmUYmCDX
- ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2020
Rajasthan: State Chief Secretary Rajeeva Swarup and State DGP (Director General of Police) Bhupendra Yadav met Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur, today. pic.twitter.com/ls7HpMaXzZ
- ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2020
LIVE: Congress Party Briefing by Shri @ajaymaken, former Union Cabinet Minister in Jaipur.#SpeakUpForDemocracy https://t.co/0ydBgk3bWH
- Congress (@INCIndia) July 26, 2020
LIVE: Congress Party Briefing by Shri @ajaymaken, former Union Cabinet Minister in Jaipur.#SpeakUpForDemocracy https://t.co/0ydBgk3bWH
- Congress (@INCIndia) July 26, 2020
#WATCH Rajasthan: Congress MLAs perform yoga at Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur.
- ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2020
Congress MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are staying at the hotel. pic.twitter.com/KRaVSM9Yfa
The 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.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told Congress MLAs on Saturday that he was ready to go to the President of India to make sure that what he calls a "BJP conspiracy" to stall a test of strength does not succeed. Mr Gehlot, who protested for hours at Governor Kalraj Mishra's home on Friday to press for an assembly session, held meetings with Congress MLAs and his cabinet on Saturday, after which a fresh proposal was drawn up and passed by the cabinet. Mr Mishra had last night asked Mr Gehlot to re-submit the request for an assembly session, citing six objections. This proposal will be sent to the Governor soon.
