JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday alleged that the BJP is still making a determined effort to topple his government and MLAs are being lured with offers of 25 crores each. The BJP has strongly denied the charge and blamed the rift within the ruling Congress for the current situation.
CM Gehlot's remarks came a day after the SOG (Special Operation Group) registered a formal FIR in the horse-trading charges during the Rajya Sabha elections last month. Alleging that the BJP had crossed all limits of inhumanity, Gehlot said, "While the state government kept working for the people during the Covid-19 crisis, the BJP has continued to cause problems. They are making increasing efforts to topple my government."
Alleging that the BJP had crossed all limits of inhumanity, Gehlot said, "While the state government kept working for the people during the Covid-19 crisis, the BJP has continued to cause problems. They are making increasing efforts to topple my government."
Gehlot pointed out that Congress governments in Karnataka last year and Madhya Pradesh this year were replaced by the BJP amid allegations of MLAs' poaching. He asserted that the BJP had "bought seven MLAs in Gujarat" to win last month's Rajya Sabha election and "they tried to do the same thing in Rajasthan. But we stopped them and gave them a lesson they will remember for a long time."
The Congress government in Rajasthan will complete its five-year term, Gehlot exuding confidence while alleging that the Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and BJP state president Satish Poonia were executing the agenda of their party’s top leadership. "We keep hearing of money being offered to MLAs to switch sides. Some have been promised up to Rs 15 crores and some are being offered other favours. This is happening on a constant basis," Gehlot said.
Over 20 Congress MLAs have also issued a joint statement alleging that the BJP is trying to topple the government by “luring” legislators. They alleged that the top BJP leadership was involved in the “conspiracy” but have declared that no temptation can shake their integrity.
The BJP has rejected all the allegations and has hit back that whatever is going on is the result of Congress infighting centred over the clash between the Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot. State BJP chief Satish Poonia said, “The BJP has nothing to do with all these allegations. During the Rajya Sabha elections, they hadOVIDovid-19 crisis and that is why they are just trying to divert public attention."
While the Congress-BJP battle it out, the police's special operations group (SOG) has issued notices to Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot to record their statement in connection with the alleged attempts to topple their government. A notice has also been sent Government Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi to record his statement.
After registering an FIR against two people on Friday, the SOG has even arrested them for their alleged involvement in horse trading of Congress MLAs and for toppling the Gehlot government. Sources say that the SOG may soon issue notices to nearly a dozen MLAs and others in the state.