JAIPUR: In Rajasthan, the BJP on Thursday sought an explanation from four of its MLAs as to why they had remained absent during the trust vote in the Assembly on last Friday despite a party whip. Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said MLAs Gopi Chand Meena, Kailash Meena, Harendra Ninama and Gotam Meena were summoned to Jaipur for giving their explanations as to why they had gone away from the Assembly soon after obituary references.
Though the House was adjourned after paying respects to the departed members, it reassembled at 1 pm to vote on motion of confidence moved by the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government on Friday. The four MLAs were found missing when the proceedings began at the House.
After rebel Sachin Pilot returned to the Congress fold, the strength of the Ashok Gehlot-led government in the 200-member Assembly rose to 122. The majority mark is 101. BJP had the support of 75 MLAs.
“Their (BJP’s) every tactic failed in Rajasthan,” Gehlot had tweeted.
Even as the BJP dropped its demand for a vote on motion of no-confidence, sources say the BJP could have faced serious embarrassment if a division of votes had been sought — only 68 MLAs of the BJP voted instead of 72.
There is a marked apprehension in the BJP circles as to whether the four MLAs had gone away to facilitate an easy victory for the Ashok Gehlot government. That is why Kataria informed reporters that though he and BJP state president Satish Poonia would talk to the concerned MLAs, “action will only be taken after their explanation and the ensuing course of happenings.