Team Sachin Pilot In Haryana: No date has been fixed for their return to Jaipur.
A day after Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra finally approved an assembly session from August 14 after multiple requests from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, rebel MLAs camped in Haryana say they will attend the sitting. Sachin Pilot and 18 rebel MLAs are reportedly debating asking for protection to return to Jaipur for the first time since they broke ranks with the Congress party.
One of the rebel MLAs, asked whether they would attend the session, told NDTV: "Of course, we will attend."
No date has been fixed for their return to Jaipur; they have been camping in two resorts in Manesar near Delhi since July 11, when Sachin Pilot launched his revolt.
If the rebels do not attend the session, they will stand disqualified for defying the whip. They are currently fighting Speaker CP Joshi's moves to disqualify them based on Congress complaint for indulging in anti-party activities.
The Rajasthan High Court is hearing Team Pilot's petition challenging disqualification notices served to them on June 15.
Chief Minister Gehlot claims he has the support of 102 MLAs in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly, one past the majority mark. Among the factors that threaten that tally are the rebels.
The rebels claim they have around 30 MLAs on their side, but so far, only 19 are confirmed.
If they attend house and vote against the Congress government, Ashok Gehlot could be in huge trouble. The rebels will be disqualified for defying their party whip, but the government will fall first, if majority of MLAs vote against the Government according to the rules.
The Chief Minister, while pushing for an assembly session, has not mentioned a trust vote in any of his four letters to the Governor, who has repeatedly questioned whether a test of strength is on the cards. Mr Mishra sent back three proposals, telling the state government that a 21-day notice was necessary to call the assembly but an exception could be made if Mr Gehlot planned a floor test.
"If the governor wants us to have a floor test he should direct us, we are in a majority. Why should we ask for a floor test," said Mahesh Joshi, Chief Whip, Rajasthan, on Wednesday.
Sources say the Congress wants to avoid mentioning a trust vote as it could have the Governor setting terms for a test of strength.
Team Pilot has also not asked for a vote; their strategy, say sources, is to wait for more MLAs to cross over. Many rebels are hoping to win more on their side in the run-up to the session. They also believe two MLAs of the regional outfit Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP), ostensibly with Mr Gehlot, could change their mind.
The other factor that may endanger Mr Gehlot's government are six MLAs who won as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates but merged their party with the Congress last year. The merger has been challenged by the BSP and BJP in court. Without these six, the Congress government will lose its majority.